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Magnificent collection of six ALSs from legendary Disney artist Eyvind Earle, signed “Eyvind” and “Eyvind Earle,” 35 total pages, each penned on his personal 8.5 x 11 letterhead, dated between 1971 and 1972, all addressed to painter and art historian Janice Lovoos. The letters comprise a wonderful and detailed collection of autobiographical snippets and artistic techniques, which Earle has supplied to Lovoos for an article she would publish a year later in the popular American Artist magazine.
The first letter, no date, the longest of the lot, is, in essence, a 13-page handwritten autobiography. It begins: “I think the only thing for me to do is to give you a complete outline of my 55 years on this earth – since almost every write-up from the past has some errors, and as the years go on – new write-ups seem to combine all the mistakes until I sometimes wonder who they are writing about.” At this point, Earle discusses his childhood and family, education, penchant for painting, early success, military experience, and time with Disney.
The balance of the letters is just as fascinating and touches upon Earle’s techniques, heroes, inspirations, and personal philosophies as an artist. A few highlights include:
May 18, 1971 (five pages): “Whatever I paint flows out of me as easily as breathing. To me, all life is one, all is the same. Art is life, life is art. Life is God, God is Truth. The Truth is Alive and everywhere and is everything. And way deep down, everything is good, is beautiful, harmonious, orderly, filled with energy, joy, harmony, excitement, peace, activity, simple, complex, and all my painting is just the fun of capturing on canvas panels, little snatches here and there of all this fantastic wonder that surrounds us, penetrates us, moves with us, and is life.”
June 11, 1971 (seven pages): “Most of my work consists of absolutely exact, gradual changes of one color to another, from an intense almost pure color to the lightest most subtle grays. This I accomplish by mixing the first color and the last color in a large quantity, then taking a small amount of the last color. I keep adding and mixing it to the first, until I have sometimes 20 or more examples, which I put in waxed paper cups and number from 1 to 20, since the variations are indistinguishable to the naked eye.”
In this same letter, Earle explains his “Forms of Nature,” stylistic elements that have become iconic staples of his artwork: “Fire is a flame in motion. A tree is the same motion crystalized. A leaf is a miniature tree. A tree is a small mountain. A tree trunk has its valleys, hills, rocks, sweeping fields and meadows. A blade of grass is a small tree. A flower is a flame, a mountain, a leaf.”
Included with the letters is a copy of American Artist from May 1972, which features Earle’s ‘The Noble Oak’ painting on the cover and contains Lovoos’s finished article, which, as Earle’s last letter explains, was greatly appreciated: “It’s excellent. I’m very pleased. Thank you.” In overall fine condition. Accompanied by a frame for display purposes.
