Eyvind Earle a Fraternity of One

The extraordinary Eyvind Earle lived “The Artist’s Life” to its truest perfection and fulfillment. He was born to two creative nurturing parents. His mother a classical pianist and his father a painter that studied with some of the most respected artists of his time (most notably the champion Bouguereau.) It is not to say that Earle did not have set backs. As a child polio caused a life-long deformation of his mouth making it difficult for him to smile. But in spite of his affliction he became perhaps more focused and remained true to his calling in a most ambitious and dedicated way. In turn he would bring countless unconditional smiles to the many within the span of his creative journey through life.

He studied continually as he practiced his craft while traveling across country on his bicycle looking for subjects and inspiration. Earle also had the desire to make money from his work and was able to do so first with greeting cards and later to a far greater extent as a background painter for several Hollywood studios including United Artists and Disney. He was featured as the sole credited background artist for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty (something no other artist of yet has achieved.) The Sleeping Beauty paintings distinctive look of detailed verticality was influenced largely from medieval paintings and tapestries. He also contributed to “Lady and the Tramp,” “The Legend of Paul Bunyan,” and others. Earle would go on to opening his own production company where he garnished a number of commercial clients; Chrysler, Kellogg, Marlboro and he even created one of Universal Studios most intriguing animated logos. 

Eyvind Earle was always able to attract attention as a commercial artist. He returned to greeting cards several times over both on his on and for hire. There are collections devoted exclusively to his greeting cards. It would be within the refinement of fine art that Earle would find his greatest achievements. He would eventually come to work exclusively as a fine artist. He had realized early on that he had the ability to sell his marvelous paintings. This he used to great advantage. As his clientele’s scope grew and the polished works of his imagination became that of a world class nature; he prospered. Earle became a man and artist of tremendous success. He was particularly admired in Japan and the Asian influence along with a personal aesthetic and sensibility were actually very Japanese. It is much evident in his late work. Earle and Hiroshige surrogate brothers in craft and spirit. 

The works of Eyvind Earl are among a select group of artists that lead the viewer to a deeper, richer view of the world, life and the self. There is clarity within his art that transcends the physical. When viewing and experiencing Earle’s work there is a true feeling of the elevation of the spirit, of the heart. There is the union of both vision and mind coming together in a way truly unique, a Zen most sublime.  

                                                         

                                             

Why Attempt Suicide Mickey???

The question of Mickey Mouse attempting suicide is one I never expected to consider. But; why would the writers of the original Mickey Mouse newspaper strip and Disney, himself want to create something so unusual and startling? Under what circumstances would the lovable, optimistic, Chaplanesque character of a mouse take his own life?   What devices might he use and how possibly to make this unlikely thing…well; cute? There are many questions raised and there are answers to be found.

The idea of Mickey’s suicide came from the great innovator and man himself; Walt Disney. It is thought by some that the idea was based on the silent film work of Harold Lloyd. One of Lloyd’s films, “Haunted Spooks” featured a series of botched suicide attempts by the actor and Disney was (pardon) blown away by them. This was in 1920 and it was among Disney’s favorites. Why not try the same thing with Mickey?

In 1930 Disney started a comic strip for King Features Syndicate. Walt had originally written Mickey’s strip with Ub Iwerks illustrating. Iwerks would only work as the strip’s illustrator for a while handing over both writing and illustrating to Floyd Gottfredson within the same year. Walt would continue with some plotting and continuity for a while. We’ll let Mr. Gottfredson’s words from a past interview speak from here:     

"He would make suggestions every once in a while, for some short continuities and so on, and I would do them. One that I'll never forget, and which I still don't understand was when he said, 'Why don't you do a continuity of Mickey trying to commit suicide?' So I said, 'Walt! You're kidding!' He replied, 'No, I'm not kidding. I think you could get a lot of funny stuff out of that.' I said, 'Gee whiz, Walt. I don't know. What do you think the Syndicate will think of it? What do you think the editors will think? And the readers? He said, 'I think it will be funny. Go ahead and do it.' So I did, oh, maybe ten days of Mickey trying to commit suicide—jumping off bridges, trying to hang himself... I don't remember all the details. But strangely enough, the Syndicate didn't object. We didn't hear anything from the editors, and Walt said, 'See? It was funny. I told you it would be.' So there were a few things like that."

Floyd Gottfredson

The answer in reality is a simple and uncomplicated one; it was done for laughs. In our politically correct, focused grouped, socially conscience world “The Mickey Suicides” couldn’t and probably shouldn’t be published. I would like to think the cartoons, by showing suicide as folly prevented some potential suicides at the time of the strips publication. They are entertaining, humorous and life affirming.

Within the confines of the strip Mickey thought he had lost his great love, Minnie. We know that Mickey survived, he reconciled with Minnie and their romance (aside from a few expected bumps and minor bruises) thrives to this day. Mickey and Minnie are infatuated with each other and life as we continue our infatuation with them. 

A Murder of Crows

 

I dreamed I was haunted and hunted by a murder of crows; indicted by a parliament of owls and entertained by a gaggle of geese. These are all poetic terms for groups of birds; their origins not completely known. The case of the crows probably is in alignment with the fact that battle fields have been known to be covered with the feasting carrion birds. I’m certain more than one murder victim’s corpse has been found in the same manner. The crows black feathers an ominous symbol of death and their song a cry of pain, far less than alluring. A murder of crows in short has a “ring” that sounds remarkable fitting and ideally distinct.  

 

 

The crow is equally arresting in nature and in fiction. Books, film and song feature the resourcefully clever creatures. Aesop was fond of crows and found them useful in many of his illustrious fables, “The Crow and the Pitcher, The Fox and the Crow and The Crow and the Swan” among them. Disney used crows in his feature “Dumbo.” A flock (Disney would never have used the word murder) of crows befriend the distressed elephant; help him to believe in himself and his abilities. Disney’s Crows add humor, song, heart and compassion to the film. The characters were also considered racially offensive and rife with negative stereo-types. They remain debatable. Ralph Bakshi would use crows in a similar but updated manner as did Disney in his adaptation of R. Crumb’s “Fritz the Cat.” Bakshi’s films were much more satirical and “hipper,” they were critical of every aspect of society and culture. Bakshi’s brilliance was equal to Disney’s but drastically different and his target audience the radical chic and the underground covet his land mark films.

 

Actor Johnny Depp has chosen to wear a hopefully taxidermist crow as a headdress in the currently in theatres version of “The Lone Ranger.” His impressive “Tonto Look” was inspired by a painting by contemporary artist Kirby Sattler. The painting “I Am Crow” is a feat unto itself and Sattler’s fame should increase exponentially with the film’s success. Depp in full makeup is featured on the July 4-8 cover issue of “Rolling Stone” magazine. It will take its place among the many iconic covers from the magazine’s remarkable history of striking covers.

Painter Jamie Wyeth works almost exclusively from nature. He is one of America’s most acclaimed and revered artists.  Crows, along with their cousin’s ravens have found their way onto a number of his canvases. These works are detailed to a flaw and lovely to behold. Wyeth’s crow paintings are successful renderings that illuminate the animal like no others.

                                                    "I Am Crow" by Kirby Sattler

 

 

James O’ Barr’s “The Crow” is the telling of a murder victim’s rise from the grave and vigilante style retribution of his own and his bride’s killers. It places Barr among the most revered of the graphic novel form. The original film version released in 1994 starring the late Brandon Lee became legend. Lee’s immersion into the character and his untimely death during the actual filming have made “The Crow” a cult classic that remains engaging and intriguing. The stylistic comic book, gothic-noir look of the movie is unsurpassed to this day. 

In as much as the crow informs and inspires the minds of the creative they are in general among the least popular of birds. Think about the scarecrow…what other bird has a thing named; invented and dedicated just to ward it off. The scarecrow does honestly have a justification in that crows destroy crops and are a general nuisance. There are few that don’t love a singing and dancing scarecrow as portrayed by Ray   Bolger in “The Wizard of Oz” and later by Michael Jackson in the “Wiz.” Crows themselves are by most accounts not the most beautiful of creatures especially considering the vast array of colorful families of known birds. Crows while reviled are actually the cleanest of birds, smart, loving and attentive as parents. 

 

As I write this blog a giant crow has just landed in a tree above me adjacent to my front porch, we are almost face to face. It is cawing wildly and dangerously close. I have to admit he is a little “too close for comfort.”  I will have to chase him away. It seems that the species is best viewed from a distance or through the interpretation of fiction.  The true scientist would perhaps view this as a rare opportunity and a great vantage point of observation. I do not. Why is it also in this moment of discomfort; this feeling something of ill at ease, with it there is too a strange validation; a degree of union to nature and in its oddity something akin to Poe?    

The Crow and the Pitcher 

 A crow, ready to die with thirst, flew with joy to a pitcher, which he saw at a distance. But when he came up to it, he found the water so low that with all his stooping and straining he was unable to reach it. So he tried to break the pitcher, then to overturn it, but his strength was not sufficient to do either. At last, seeing some small pebbles at hand, he dropped a great many of them, one by one, into the pitcher, and so raised the water to the brim and quenched his thirst.

Aesop

Moral: Little by little does the trick