Eric Sloane

Eric Sloane painted idyllic landscapes, skyscapes, and Colonial-era scenes inspired by the Hudson River School. Born Everard Jean Hinrichs, Sloane was drawn to art at an early age and learned typography and sign painting from the noted type designer Frederic Goudy. He began his career as a sign painter and later studied at the Art Students League in New York, eventually changing his name to Eric Sloane in tribute to his mentor, the painter John Sloan. His rustic New England landscape paintings frequently feature regional architecture like stone buildings, barns, and covered bridges. Sloane was fascinated by the sky and weather, and clouds would become a central motif in his work beginning in the 1930s. His first cloud painting was purchased by Amelia Earhart, and he later painted a six-story-high skyscape mural at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Sloane also authored and illustrated several books on topics ranging from early American tools and architecture to wood.