"Royal Empress" detail
Welcome
My name is Kyle Surges and I'm a Chicago based artist who paints unbelievably detailed paintings. I have been showing my work professionally in exhibits for the past decade and have been published in many magazines. My oil paintings are still lifes painted with the highest level of craftsmanship. The paintings take countless hours of focus and patience to complete. I produce only 2 to 5 paintings a year depending on the complexity of the subject matter. Some of my subjects are nostalgic, cherish icons, while others witty juxtapositions. I'm available for commission work and I can work with you to create a beautiful customized painting. I also build strong wood crates, so the paintings can be shipped anywhere. There are plenty of high resolution images of the work on this site, but I guarantee there is nothing like seeing the painting in person. Sales can be handled through me or my represented gallery in Chicago, McCormick Gallery.
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Artist StatementMy paintings are derived from close visual observation. Primarily my subjects are manufactured items; of which I find their surfaces beautiful, and I enjoy the challenge of accurately recreating them in paint. Mainly, I prefer a smooth panel on which to work because it allows me to paint small detail. It also allows the paint to communicate to the viewer without interruption from textures of the physical surface. I prefer to pair these items with a minimalistic background to heighten the emphasis on the object. Often I paint them their actual size to add to the simulated reality of the paint.
Pop artists utilized mass-produced objects to create a dialogue between high and low culture. My work is rooted in that dialogue. I consider myself a sort of pop realist. Objects I choose are based on my fascination with manufactured items; mostly vintage and sometimes witty things. They are often bits of discarded Americana that still hold some factor of importance in the present day. Over time everyday items make the transformation from ordinary to collectible. They inherit nostalgia and plead to be preserved. I like to present these items as sort of cherished icons and let the object dictate the theme of the painting. Some pieces can be historical while others are rather simple, amusing juxtapositions. These are items that require close observation in order to correctly present them. In my opinion, accurately representing these objects in paint is the only clear method for the viewer to identify these objects. |
Testimonials
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It's everything I expected! Precision in the clock, and the way you did the glow of the radio dial is magnificent. I've seen so many artists lose it when painting small lights light this (street lights, for example) when there should be a glow not a beam of light. So well done.
I showed the painting to my colleagues on a Zoom meeting. I had to point out how the painted table top matched your hand made frame precisely. The color and wood grain are a perfect match. The numbers on the clock face are different shades of that reflective gold depending on the viewer's angle. True to life. I even set my alarm today to a few minutes before 6:00 a.m., so even that has a personal connection |
Mod Radio
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Kyle, the painting looks great! I am amazed at how you're able to do this!
Today is my wife’s and my anniversary. She posted a picture of your painting on her Facebook page about 30 minutes ago and her page is exploding with favorable comments about the painting (and about me as well—for coming up with such a good gift idea). |
Bird Watching
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I'm was fortunate enough to run into your paintings at Art Expo Chicago and to my great luck was able to purchase "Radio". Crikey...you're an amazing artist!! I've greatly admired photo-realist paintings for years, although to my eyes while they often exhibit great technical precision and pristine surfaces they can also often come off a bit cold and academic. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, however it also isn't something that sucker punches ya in the gut with lust and desire :-) But then I see your work: crystalline in execution but also kinda warm and fuzzy. Well done!! And to boot, you're so freaking young....I'm just so impressed I can hardly tell ya.
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Radio
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I think that you are very talented and enjoy your work. The "Dad's Old Spice" I purchased is terrific and in my case very emotional as well as in fact my Dad use Old Spice every day. He had a Men's clothing store at on Damen Avenue at Damen, North and Milwaukee before gentrification.
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Dad's Old Spice
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