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