Black Oak 1982

Eyvind Earle made this painting, Black Oak, with a serene and muted palette that evokes the stillness of a winter landscape. You can almost see the artist carefully layering the colors, building up the form of the tree and the subtle gradations of light and shadow. I bet Eyvind was thinking about the quiet resilience of nature while he was making this. The texture of the bark, rendered with such fine detail, makes me want to run my hand across the canvas. Imagine the way the light catches the snow-covered branches, each stroke deliberate and precise. It reminds me a little of Milton Avery's landscapes but there is a quality to the detail in the tree which is striking. Earle, like so many painters, was working within a conversation about how to capture the essence of a scene. Artists are always building upon what has come before, taking inspiration and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. I'm left appreciating the painting's quiet and profound presence.