By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Unique paintings by artist Joe Ruck will be on display during February and March at Smith Studio & Gallery, 124 South State St., Geneseo. The exhibit is free and open to the public. Hours at Smith Studio & Gallery are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Joe Ruck is a painter and sculptor who lives and works in Campton Hills, IL. His expressive paintings capture glimpses of life from Chicago and the surrounding area. By using oil paints applied with a brayer (roller) in place of a traditional brush, he creates a tapestry of overlapping strokes.

David Smith, owner of Smith Studio & Gallery, said, “This unique impressionistic approach is both eye-catching when viewed from a distance and intriguing up close.”

Subjects are wide-ranging - from people, animals and landscapes to structures, still-life and machinery.