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Gold leaf framed paintings of Cape Cod scenes line the
walls at Day Hill Studio Fine Art in North Falmouth. The bright new gallery is
open Thursday through Sunday from 10 A.M. to 8 P.M. at 53 Winslow Road, across
from the Silver Lounge. Working in her gallery studio, Ms. O’Malley-Keyes
creates oil paintings of boat-filled harbors, lighthouses, sunsets, and tranquil
vistas. The Summer Porch. The Perfect Pond. Evening Sail. Squeteague Sunset.
These are the images that linger in an artist’s mind and then simply must find
their way to canvas. And they have, with the above titles, at the Studio at Day
Hill in North Falmouth.
Julia O’Malley-Keyes is just such a
painter; one whose passion is the capturing, in oil paintings, the unique beauty
of Cape Cod and building an exquisite gallery in which to show them. The result
is Day Hill Studio Fine Art, 53 Winslow Road, North Falmouth, (across from The
Silver Lounge), and it is quietly magnificent. A soaring ceiling, lots of French
doors, skylights, and paintings in gold-leaf frames fill the space, which
includes polished tables and a comfortable sofa in front of a fireplace.
Visitors are welcome from 10 A.M. to 8 P.M. Thursday through Sunday, or by
chance; more information is available by calling 508-564-4657
.
The artist is welcoming, fun, and
refreshingly down-to-earth. The elegance of her gallery is in direct proportion
to her homey, laid-back philosophy about art, artists, art galleries, and art
buyers. “At almost every gallery I’ve gone to, it’s hard to imagine the artwork
actually being in your own house, because there’s no furniture in the gallery;
here, the couches are meant to be sat on, there’s absolutely no pressure to buy
anything, I feel that the client will know when it is time to make a painting
their own... this is my home, and I want people coming here to feel like my house-guests, not just customers,” she says. “If they feel like it, they can come
in here, kick their feet up, and take a snooze on the couch while I paint!”
Sun Seeking
The idea for the new addition came to
her as she ‘chased the light’ around her house, moving her easel as the sun
moved across the sky, trying to find a consistent light in which to paint.
Needless to say, this was not conducive to artistic flow; a studio with just the
right natural light was in order.“Then I thought, well, if I’m going to
paint here then I might as well show some work,” she explains. “So I sat down
and drew a little picture of what I wanted it to look like-I wanted to keep it
very ‘Cape Cod’-and with a lot of hard work, it came out exactly the way I
though it would.”
It’s quite impressive as it is, but
it’s still a work in progress to Ms. O’Malley-Keyes: there is a
spectacular chandelier, a deck for outdoor shows, and Julia plans another
outside space for summer shows.
Family Of Artists
She comes by her artistic vision
naturally; her entire family, all seven of her siblings and both parents, are
vibrant people who have enjoyed great success in their chosen careers. Her
brother, Ian O’Malley, recently achieved several weeks of television fame
appearing in the series “Big Brother” and more recently on Law and Order.
“My dad was a professional polo player and backgammon player, a
photographer, a published writer-he spent three years on a whaler and wrote a
book about it. My mother was a master weaver, very bohemian.”
A self-described ‘wild child,’ the
artist left school at 15 (returning to her formal education as an adult)when she saw how destructive and cruel the teenage
social hierarchy was; she was looking for something kinder-and for adventures.
She found them; some wonderful, some tragic. “Bad things happen. Life goes on.
I’m a big believer that positive thinking begets positive things; if you spend
your time sulking, that’s what your life will be like,” she says pragmatically.
Even while holding jobs as a clothing designer for an apparel corporation, portrait
gallery owner in Provincetown, and Penobscot River, Maine, apple-farm owner, Ms.
O’Malley-Keyes has always painted. She has lived in the Dominican Republic,
London, Spain, France, and Prince Edward Island, Canada, Greenwich Village,
Mexico, and now has found her final home in North Falmouth. “About seven years
ago I was visiting my brother here and we went to the Nimrod Club. I had a
meeting in Chicago the next morning-I was doing the corporate thing-and didn’t
want to go out that night, but I did. And I met Bob,” she says, meaning Robert
L. Day. “And we were married four months later. He’s awesome,” she says,
beaming. “Great marriage, great place to live, great gallery to paint in... I’m
very, very lucky.” The gallery is a solid representation of the artist’s dream;
her brothers and sisters often find solace here as well. Her sister Rosemary is
a weaver, creating one-of-a-kind hammocks ,scarves,shawls and table linens from
Chenille and Silk; her work has joined the oil paintings of Ms.
O’Malley-Keyes. “This gallery is starting to formulate into a family affair,”
she says.
Aiding Fledgling Artists
Ms. O’Malley-Keyes has a palpable
desire to help new artists show their work, especially those who have a feel for
the local scene. “If you look at my paintings, you see that not only are they of
Cape Cod, they’re of right here, in Falmouth. I enjoy finding up-and-coming
artists, give them a shot, and help support them with openings. She wants to offer them a
beautiful place to show their work, along with her own vibrant paintings. Day
Hill Studio Fine Art is just right. “I had a lot of help; John and Amy Woodruff of
Woodruff Gallery in Mashpee were so generous. I used to bring John all my
paintings to frame. He realized that I was spending a fortune on it, so he and
Amy came here and taught me how to do it myself.”
Art For Everyone
She passes on this generosity of
spirit by offering artwork in a wide range of prices in her gallery. “Not
everyone can afford to spend $4000 or more on an original oil painting, but
they might love the image. Here they can buy a limited edition Giclee print archivally framed, for around $250. Artwork is not supposed to be only for
people who are wealthy.” In addition to working in oils, the artist does giclee
and digiclee prints. Ms. O’Malley-Keyes paints her heart and soul into each
work, often spending 200 hours on a single canvas. “You can’t do the math when
it comes to art. If you divide the selling price by the number of hours you put
into it, you see that you’d make more money working at McDonald’s! And you’d get
benefits!” she laughs. “But I love what I do, so it’s worth it. Even when I was
working in corporate America and making a ton of money, I wasn’t happy until I
got out my paints at night. ”She has done hundreds of great paintings, adding,
“About 10 are currently in the ‘won’t behave closet.’ They’ll stay there for a
few months until they’re ready to behave.” Obviously, this serious artist has a
delightful sense of humor.
Painting Feelings
When the canvas calls, a true artist is
compelled to answer. She shows me a lovely painting of soft, velvety pink
roses and says quietly, “ I don’t normally do florals, but roses were my
mother’s favorites. I stayed with her
in the hospital the last two weeks of her
life and I painted this in the hospital bathroom while she was passing away. She was an awesome mother.
This is called ‘My Mother’s Roses.’ Julia O’Malley-Keyes has the soul of an
artist, expressed in each of her wonderful paintings.
Gerree H. Trudeau Day Hill Studio Fine Art Feature.doc
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