Universe of James Yale at Eureka Fine Art

EUREKA SPRINGS, AR If you are familiar with Yale's paintings from reproductions, such as "Bacchus" of the Food and Wine poster, you are in for a treat. "Bacchus" is the first painting to greet you as you top the stairs to the Top Floor Exhibition Gallery at Eureka Fine Art.

Once inside, if you are still not sure you are seeing so many original oil paintings by Yale then walk past the myriad leaves that surround the whispy-ly draped woman standing amongst them in "The Rose Garden Lady X". Watch how the light changes with each leaf.

In the next painting over, "Magic in the Moonlight", a standing woman before the moon whisks star shine from her hand, and is surrounded by magic. The halo of light, in this case moonlight, is immediate. The whole thing feels real.

Oil paint has depth and reflective qualities. When you see the original, you can discern the brush strokes without trying to. This reveals the hand that formed them. It makes the painting into a miracle. The subject matter is also of miracles. All of James' paintings are miracles in this way.

Don't miss "Self-Portrait with Nautilus Shell", "Susan's Lilies",and "Albert Einstein - Mystery Solved". How does he do it? you may find yourself asking? There are clues everywhere, as in "Lissa's Rose", perhaps the most intellectually playful piece. It is three images of Lissa: an out of focus close-up, before it, another two Lissas, then in between these Lissas there lies a wooden french palette daubed with several thick daubs of paint.

Eureka Fine Art will stay open late on Wednesday Nov 19th, the last day of the show.