Garden of Dreams 1990

Eyvind Earle created this ‘Garden of Dreams’ with paint, and a whole lot of patience. Look at how he's built up these incredible jewel-like tree forms. It’s almost like each dab of color is a little decision, a little moment of looking and responding. Artmaking is a process of endless adjustments. There's something about the texture in this painting, that feels almost velvety. It's a flat surface, but those tiny details create depth. The way the light catches the tops of the trees...it's like they're breathing. And the color choices, those reds and greens against the cool blues, make the whole thing vibrate. Think about the single point of light in the distance, and how that creates a feeling of depth. Earle reminds me a little of another painter who was obsessed with pattern and detail, Gustav Klimt. Both of them were interested in creating these immersive, almost hypnotic worlds. Earle's work embraces ambiguity; it's not about telling you what to think or feel, it's about inviting you to get lost in the details, to dream.