Green Fields 1994

Eyvind Earle made "Green Fields" using very distinct bands of color and tight mark making. It looks like he really enjoyed the process of making, as though painting was a form of meditation for him. There's something very interesting about the surface quality; each layer is built up in such a way that the landscape feels flattened and heightened all at once. This gives the whole image a graphic feel, sort of like an illustration from a children's book but with an unexpected depth. Look at the way the mist is rendered, how Earle uses these fine lines to suggest atmosphere. Earle's unique approach to landscapes, with their precise lines and vibrant colors, reminds me a bit of David Hockney, though Hockney’s landscapes are more free and gestural. Art is an ongoing conversation across time, and neither way is better, only different. This painting invites us to see the world in a new way, an invitation I'm always happy to accept.