Sioux Falls, South Dakota – Kay Quale was always an artist. However, her art has advanced significantly in the last five years.
“When Covid struck, I had plenty of time to paint because no one was going anywhere or doing anything. So I started to take my art work more seriously. “And improving the quality of my art,” Kay stated.
Aside from her day job as a Walmart pharmacist, she is passionate about art. She creates her paintings at home in Watertown.
“As a pharmacist, I enjoy the chemistry part of it. I enjoy preparing my paint, mixing it, combining this and that. “To try different things to get different results,” Kay explained.
Many of her paintings depict scenes from nature. Or she comes up with ideas while driving.
“My husband and I have traveled a lot. We’ve traveled to Europe, Asia, and other places. We always enjoy going to art museums. And you can get a lot of good ideas or inspiration from all of the art museums that surround the area,” Kay explained.
She now travels around with her mobile art gallery, selling her work at local festivals. Like the recent Art and Wine Walk in downtown Sioux Falls.
“I take this around, and inside I have pegboard on the wall and lights, so it looks like a little shop. I can display all of my artwork inside, and if it rains or winds, I can close the doors and continue to show it from my small art gallery. I estimate that I’ve completed over a thousand paintings. Sioux Falls is very welcoming. “It’s an excellent community for artists,” Kay said.
“I think it is very creative and natural. Wendy Ferguson, an art fan, added, “And I love the colors and variety of it.”
Kay says the solitude of painting complements the busy days of talking with customers as a pharmacist. And she has some advice for aspiring artists.
“You just need to keep pushing yourself. Don’t stay in your small comfort zone. Don’t stay in your small box. Do not do the same thing repeatedly. When I create a piece, I strive to be unique. I did an elk first, then an elephant, and finally a frog. Sometimes I feel like the business side of it is more difficult than being an artist. “But I’m working on it,” Kay explained.
Kay’s artwork can be found on her website and Facebook page. She’ll be at the Washington Pavilion’s Sidewalk Art Festival in Sioux Falls this Saturday.
