Eyvind Earle-An Artist of California

Art galleries these days are full of paintings that repeat the same tired old themes. Perusing the art galleries in downtown Carmel, CA over Thanksgiving weekend, we saw the same old still lifes with wine glasses and bottles, the same old kitschy whale paintings by Wyland. This time, however, I had a chance to discover a significant artist whose works took my breath away. I have never seen paintings that capture Californian scenery as masterfully as those by Eyvind Earle.

Eyvind Earle is a contemporary artist, who recently died in 2000. A former landscape artist at Disney, he worked on such films as "Lady and the Tramp", and "Peter Pan". Earle's style is most clearly evident in "Sleeping Beauty", for which he was responsible for art direction. With its medieval styling, Sleeping Beauty can now be considered an noticeable departure in style from previous Disney films. During the film's development, other Disney animators protested against Earle's art direction, but Walt Disney himself interceded. For the first time, the voice of a single animator, Eyvind Earle, set the tone for a Disney film.

After leaving Disney, Eyvind Earle spent a few years as head of his own animation company. He animated commercials, and even created the trailer for the movie, "West Side Story". But in his final years, Eyvind Earle spent his time painting professionally in Carmel, CA. His mature paintings are fantastical and magical, much like his illustrations while at Disney. But they are also evocative of the beautiful Californian landscape. They are infused with feeling and emotion. In many of his landscapes, there is a sense of aching solitude.

When looking at "Sounding of Surf ", or "Swirl of Fog", I am reminded of waves crashing on the Big Sur coastline. Notice also these paintings' resemblance to Japanese block prints. A "Touch of Magic" brings me out of myself, and gives me the sensation of hiking through the Santa Cruz Mountains on a lazy afternoon.

My favorite Eyvind Earle, however, is "Quiet Solitude". The original painting is currently on sale after being part of a private collection for many years. This painting, whose price is unlisted, but will probably sell for ~$100,000+ currently resides in the Gallery Fine Art in Carmel, CA. This work almost reduced me to tears. There was the masterly technique, and colorful beauty, but there was also a strong sensation of silence and loneliness. If you are looking to collect significant, important works of beauty, as an investment and to enrich your life, I highly recommend that you look for the original works of Eyvind Earle.