Laura Jean McLaughlin, James Simon, & Robert Qualters are ALL STARS in the city of Pittsburgh and beyond. In Laura Jean McLaughlin’s artwork there is a consistent thread of storytelling and sharing universal experiences of human existence through a broad range of mediums. James Simon’s work utilizes the discipline of this classical training while incorporating a “street freedom” that depicts history and contemporary life in a poetic, transcendental style. The heart of Simon’s work is to give. To give to a community, to pay homage to its history, while representing its contemporary life, to create a magical environment. The work of Robert Qualters, born March 13, 1934, encompasses traditional painting, murals, and collaboration with other Pittsburgh-based artists. He is also associated with the Bay Area Figurative Movement of Representational Painting.
Laura Jean McLaughlin has exhibited her work in over one hundred galleries and museums, including the Carnegie Museum of Art. Laura Jean’s ceramic work has been featured in various periodicals nationally and internationally. Laura Jean has created over 100 collaborative mosaic murals and installation throughout the city of Pittsburgh and as far away as Tolne Denmark. She has created a porcelain tile mural for the Andy Warhol Museum. Her work is in the collection of the City of Pittsburgh, The Andy Warhol Museum, the Porter~Price Collection, Kohler Art Center, Kohler Company, and HBO in New York.
What grounds James Simon’s work is the belief that art is a celebratory experience, creating joy despite adverse conditions. He came from a family that pulsed with music and dance. He has traveled the world, spending many years living in Brazil, Mexico, Australia and England. What each of these cultures shared, what is reflected in his work, is the primal impulse towards creative expression situated in daily life that uplifts the human spirit. James trained as a violinmaker, a renaissance art that demands precision and discipline.’
Robert Qualters is an American painter and mixed-media artist based in Pennsylvania. He is best known for colorful, expressive depictions of urban and riverfront life in Pittsburgh and surrounding communities. His work blends watercolor, oil, collage, and printmaking to create textured, layered compositions that evoke memory and place. Qualters has produced numerous public murals, and his paintings have been exhibited in regional museums and galleries. In addition to his studio practice, he has taught and mentored younger artists, contributing significantly to the cultural life of his region.
The closing of Laura Jean McLaughlin, James Simon, & Robert Qualters will be held in conjunction with Penn Avenue’s monthly art crawl, Unblurred First Friday on May 1