"Town and Country" by Douglas C. Johnson

The paintings of Douglas C. Johnson represent a singular vision of the beauty of Nature, and the simplicity of small town America. His landscapes and small town scenes are taken from central Illinois. The views he presents to us are those moments in time where we stop what we are doing and take a breath while we look at Nature and reflect on the elegance of a field of ripening corn, the pillows of clouds rolling across the sky, and the warmth of a sunset upon a building, putting everything in an orange glow.

Johnson's paintings harken back to works of Hopper's small towns of quietude and even Monet's cool sunrise mist. He transcends anyplace to make these scenes a place we all know, or at least we want to be familiar with them. His choice to portray singular places or fields captures our attention and lets us take time away from our busy lives to enjoy reflections on a pond, or a n old diner by the side of the road. There are numerous places Johnson has found that speak to one's soul and need for solace in Nature. His recent "Town and Country" exhibit at the Komechak Art Gallery is a terrific group of works and they show his prowess and accomplishment of the subject. The exhibition runs October 1 through November 2, 2019.

Education MFA, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 1992. MS, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois 1991. BFA, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois 1987. Teaching Experience Judson College, Elgin, Illinois. 1995-1997. Waubonsee College, Sugar Grove, Illinois. 1993-1995. Illinois Art Institute (Ray College of Design), Chicago, Illinois. 1992-1993. Rockford Art Museum, Rockford, Illinois. 1992-1993. Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois. 1990-1992. Professional Memberships Arts Alliance Illinois. Board Member- 2011 to present College Art Association, 1990-Present

The Surreal and Super Real Paintings of Yale Factor

The recent painting exhibition of noted artist Yale Factor brought a mixture of landscape and still-life pieces that dazzled the viewers and made us want to see more. Factor has been a realist painter for decades, and with that experience he portrays a vision of the world we feel is somehow overlooked by the average person. In essence, he finds the one spot of landscape that is particularly more interesting than the rest of it. He shows us the one spot that we should not miss, otherwise we have missed everything.

There is an inner glow to his landscapes. His linear details are extraordinary and they call us to the canvas and leave us in awe of his talent.

Factor's still-lifes are intriguing on their own level. His homage to the subject of still-life painting is apparent. The subjects are sometimes playful, sometimes poignant, but they are carefully considered items in the compositions that lend themselves to invention of stories and adventures. When Factor tells the story of one of these gems, we feel as though we have been given the keys to a well-veiled secret. All in all, these are works by a master who is at the top of his game. The exhibition continues through September 21st.

Education: MFA Texas A & M University, Commerce, TX BFA Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL Experience: Professor Emeritus, Northern Illinois University, Dakalb, IL Scientific Illustrator, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL

Remembering Fr. Joe Kelchak

Benedictine University has been blessed with donations of art over the last few decades. So much so that when the university was finally able to open its first official art gallery in 2013, named the Komechak Art Gallery, the opening exhibition featured a number of works by various donors. It was a celebration of many supporters for the gallery, but also for the donors who have been generous to share their collections with the Benedictine community.

One of those donors was The Very Reverend Joseph Kelchak, or Fr. Joe, as he was often called. His legacy to the university was his wide-ranging and eclectic art collection which spanned many subjects, media, and styles. Eventually, Fr. Joe's donations would become so numerous that he became the art collection's largest donor. When one visits the campus at Benedictine University, they can see works from his donations in virtually every building. The Komechak Art gallery is proud to display a sampling of Fr. Joe's collection (from June 1 - July 20, 2019) in celebration of his many contributions.

The exhibition features works donated in recent years, including paintings, prints, sculptures, and ceramics. As a global art collector, Fr. Joe's vision included religious works as well and contemporary art from Europe, Israel, Mexico, Africa, the South Pacific rim, Native American works and artists from the United States. Some notable names from his donations include Henri Matisse, Gino Severini, Georges Rouault, Maurice Utrillo, Robin Branham and many others.

One of the first persons to call me as the new curator of the university collection was Fr. Joe. He introduced himself and explained that he was a close friend of my predesessor, Fr. Michael Komechak. Fr. Joe told me what he'd recently donated, and then proceeded to tell me all about the pieces. Whenever I visited his home, he would take me around and introduce me to his collection. He was very excited about it and loved relating stories about how he acquired the pieces, and from whom. It was always a treat to go to his home to see what was added to his collection, and see how he arranged it to best advantage. Those afternoons were a delight, and will remain fond memories.

Below are some more selected images from the current exhibition. If you are able to attend, the gallery's summer hours are M-TH 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The gallery's 2019-2020 schedule is found at www.ben.edu/artgallery.

2019 Senior Art Exhibition

Congratulations are in order for six graduating senior Graphic Arts students at Benedictine University. The students: Kaitlyn Caravello, Megan Kamath, Megan Roy-Chowdhury, Austin Gascoigne, Antonio E. Hernandez, and Rebecca McDounough are exhibiting their portfolios of studio work as part of their capstone coursework for the Bachelor of Arts degree. The exhibition opens today, May 6th, and will run through May 18th. A public reception is scheduled for Tuesday, May 7th, from 3:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Following are images from the senior show.

BenU Student Juried Art Exhibition 2019

The BenU Student Juried Exhibition recently took place at the Komechak Art Gallery, from April 15-30, 2019. This year's juror was Ms. Ann Blaas,from College of DuPage and Lewis University. 77 pieces from 41 students were selected for the show. The following students won awards: Rebecca McDonough - Best of Show Emma Redfern - Best in Fine Arts Kaitlyn Estopare - Best in Graphic Art & Design Katie Farb - Best in Calligraphy Ries McCue - Best in 3D Brieann Cruz - Honorable Mention Tyrese Ray - Honorable Mention Jasmin Lin - Honorable Mention Many thanks to all the participants, and the Fine and Graphic Arts instructors for encouraging the students' participation.

Dankook University student art at Komechak Art Gallery

Graphic Design students from Dankook University in South Korea recently exhibited examples of their work at Komechak Art Gallery, in Lisle, Illinois. Benedictine University's Asst. Professor of Art, HaiRi Han, guest-curated the exhibit. Professor Han teaches Graphic Art and Design courses at Benedictine University. This was the first opportunity to exhibit students' work from South Korea. Many thanks to Professor Han for bringing the exhibit to the university, and many thanks to the students who participated in the exhibit.