Sold for: $253,250

PROVENANCE
Loch Gallery, Winnipeg, 2003
Private Collection, Vancouver

LITERATURE
Ivan Eyre, Ivan on Eyre: The Paintings, Pavilion Gallery, 2004, page 448, reproduced page 449

Ivan Eyre was best known for his complex, figureless landscapes – which, although inspired by the landscapes of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, are works of his imagination. The artist once explained to his cardiologist that he took vicarious walks through his painted landscapes such as Ravine Hills, while painting and after their completion. His doctor advised him that he should actually, not virtually, walk. But Eyre was more interested in his landscapes of the mind, stating:

The elements I add often challenge the sense of geographic correctness…these are, after all, paintings that speak about my ideas and emotions, not visual land documents. The liberties I take are always for pictorial reasons, and each part of the painting does work of some kind.

Ravine Hills is a glorious panorama, harmonious in its rich hues of blue, green and gold. The repetition of fine brush-strokes creates a rhythmic, patterned effect. Long horizontal strips of land build from the foreground up to the horizon, creating the illusion of deep space. In the centre, Eyre uses a white layer to create a path for the viewer’s eye to the back layers of the landscape. Ravine Hills is a complex and mysterious terrain that holds the viewer’s attention, enveloping the observer with a transcendental feeling of calm.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars