One of the most striking features of Robert Lait's landscapes is that while they apppear quite realistic from a distance, they become more abstract as one moves closer.

Growing up in Chicago, Robert's interest in art piqued early, as he began painting classes at twelve. After taking all available art courses in high school and majoring in Fine Arts/Painting at the University of Illinois, Lait earned a MFA via a teaching assistantship at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

"I went to school during the so-called second generation school of Abstract Expressionism," explains Robert. "I enjoy painterly technique and come from the modern tradition of Cezanne, Matisse, Kandinsky, Beckman, Diebenkorn, and Richter."

Focusing on the long term, Lait states, "I am interested in the idea of my whole work evolving slowly over time from a representational or 'depicted" type of image, to a more subtle, non-realistic abstraction, the kind that can't be rushed."

The paintings of Robert Lait have been exhibited in galleries throughout the country, he has worked with numerous corporate consultants, and maintains membership in the Chicago Artist Coallition.