Artist Robert Qualters to discuss his life and paintings

Iconic Pittsburgh artist Robert Qualters will visit the Peters Township Public Library on Monday, April 14 at 7:00 p.m. Qualters will talk about his life as an artist, especially in light of the current retrospective of his unique work at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, which runs through April 20. The exhibit was curated by Vicky A. Clark, who also wrote the new book featured in his discussion: Robert Qualters: Autobiographical Mythologies. Registration is requested to attend this event by emailing programs@ptlibrary.org or call 724.941.9430. A book signing will follow the program and light refreshments will be served.

Qualters, who celebrated his 80th birthday in March, has a style familiar to many Pittsburghers. His paintings feature our local landscapes, neighborhoods, and amusement parks in bold colors annotated with text around the borders of the work. He has had more than 30 solo shows in galleries and museums in the region, including the Carnegie Museum of Art, and has created more than two dozen public murals and site-specific installations, including commissions from Mercy Hospital, Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children, Three Rivers Arts Festival, and Oxford Development. He has also created more than a dozen murals with Pittsburgh high school students.

Qualters holds a BFA from the California College of Arts and Crafts, and an MFA from Syracuse University. He has taught painting at the State University of New York, Oswego; University of Pittsburgh; Carlow College; Slippery Rock State University; Indiana University of PA; West Virginia University; and Carnegie Mellon University. He has also been artist-in-residence at the Pittsburgh High School for Creative and Performing Arts.