Eric Sloanes America

Eric Sloane's America
May 11, 2008 - August 3, 2008

Opening Reception
Thursday, May 22, 5:30-7 p.m.

The Museum will present an exhibition of artist Eric Sloane?s paintings from May 11 ? Aug. 3, 2008 in the Davis Gallery. Sloane was both an American landscape painter and an author of illustrated works of cultural history and folklore.

Born Everard Jean Hinrichs in 1905 in New York City, Sloane later changed his name after studying under artist John French Sloan at the Art Students League in New York City. Sloane studied for brief periods at both Massachusetts Institute for Technology, where he focused on meteorology, and the Yale University School of Fine Arts. He became fascinated with observing and painting the sky, weather and rustic landscapes, which eventually led to commissions to paint works for the U.S. Air Force. Sloane is credited with creating the first televised weather reporting network, an endeavor that likely grew out of his strong interest in meteorological phenomena.

An extremely diverse and talented painter, Sloane developed great interest in New England folk culture, colonial life and Americana that led him to paint scenes from different areas across the country. In Taos, NM, Sloane painted numerous luminous depictions of the desert sky, while at his home in Warren, CT, he painted scenes of the New England countryside, depicting rural symbols such as farmhouses, covered bridges and barns. Sloane wrote and illustrated many colonial-era books on tools, architecture, farming techniques, folklore and rural wisdom, which featured detailed illustrations, hand-lettered titles, and folksy wit.

The exhibition will feature 10 of Sloane?s paintings, including one that is a recent gift from Ms. Jeanne Griffin and Dr. Lawrence Epstein. Eric Sloane?s America is sponsored by the American Savings Foundation.