Garden of Dreams 1990

Eyvind Earle painted this Garden of Dreams in an unknown year, layering oil paint to conjure an otherworldly vista. The trees dominate, with their peculiar dome-like forms patterned with jewel-like spots of red, blue, and green. I wonder if he thought about each individual dot and daub of paint that makes up the whole? It feels to me as if each element in the painting—the trees, the misty hills, the ethereal light—exists in a kind of harmonious dialogue. The colors seem to vibrate against each other, creating an almost hallucinatory effect. The stillness, though, is what gets me. It's like time has stopped in this enchanted place, inviting us to pause and dream along with the artist. This feels in keeping with the landscapes of Yves Tanguy. The formal language is completely different, but I find myself thinking about the quiet, mysterious landscapes they both invite us to. Anyway, who knows what Earle was thinking! Painting is a portal to the subconscious and a way to see the world anew, and that is the lasting appeal.