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Eric Sloane’s Early Placements

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On 18 June 1968, Connecticut Governor John Dempsey announced that Eric Sloane would donate his early American tool collection to the state of Connecticut. True, Eric’s fascination with early American tools began c. 1952 after his purchase of an 18th century farmhouse in Brookfield, Connecticut. Yet it was Eric’s “placements” – consisting of early American hand tools and several early 19th century almanacs mounted to an antique barn board backing – where the artist synthesized his conception of tools as an art form. From Wil Mauch’s “Symbols of American Spirit: 50 Years of the Eric Sloane Museum”, used by permission.

To learn more about the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum and our mission to assist in the preservation and interpretation of the Eric Sloane Museum and its collection, please visit the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum homepage. While you’re there, please consider donating online to our new Hands-on! classroom project.

Eric Sloane Barn Interior

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“There are places that affect me by a profoundness stirred by sensitivity.
If this be insanity, I confess and declare a fascination that only mad men know.” -Eric Sloane

From Aware: A Retrospective of the life and work of Eric Sloane by Wil Mauch. Used by permission.

To learn more about the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum and our mission to assist in the preservation and interpretation of the Eric Sloane Museum and its collection, see www.friendsoftheericsloanemuseum.org. While you’re there, please consider making a donation online to our new hands-on classroom project.

A New Classroom Initiative at The Eric Sloane Museum

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Help the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum Turn This….

Into This….

Concept drawing of the new Hands On! classroom to be built at The Eric Sloane Museum

Imagine a space where visitors young and old can learn – in a supportive and “hands on” way – early arts, crafts, and trades using traditional tools, methods, and materials. Now imagine that space as one that is open, airy, light, and inviting. You are picturing what the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum has envisioned as our next project!

We’d love to count on you to help participate in the experience of creating this much needed educational space. We have opportunities to participate in this experience through financial support – your donation in any amount via our secure checkout will not only be greatly appreciated, but will be used to create a new space for hands-on classes on early arts, crafts and trades. We also will be offering opportunities to participate in our pop up volunteer events held periodically throughout 2023. Sign-up here to join, and receive periodic emails detailing upcoming volunteer experiences.

Eric Sloane Ski Paintings

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“Edge of the Ravine”
Eric Sloane, N.A. (1905-1985)
Oil on Masonite

Despite the current cold spell we are experiencing, the calendar suggests that there may not be much more time to enjoy the ski season – get out and enjoy the slopes!

Photo from Aware: A Retrospective of the life and work of Eric Sloane by Wil Mauch. Used by permission.

To learn more about the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum and our mission to assist in the preservation and interpretation of the Eric Sloane Museum and its collection, click here. While you’re there, please consider making a donation online to our new hands-on classroom project.

Eric Sloane Winter Winds

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“Winter Winds”
Eric Sloane, N.A. (1905-1985)
40″ x 24″
Oil on Masonite

Appropos of this evenings weather here at Weather Hill.
“I found that the pioneer countryman was peculiarly aware of the sky, with an extraordinary knowledge of weather because his daily living so depended upon it.” – Eric Sloane

From Aware: A Retrospective of the life and work of Eric Sloane by Wil Mauch.

Eric Sloane, Rabbits and Horses

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Rabbit, Rabbit!
Happy 1st Day of the Month.

“Winter”
Eric Sloane, N.A.
Original Pen and Ink Illustration

I love this charmer! It also happens to include my spirit animal, the rabbit. I have come across very, very few illustrations or paintings by Eric in which he painted a rabbit. Horses, yes – though Sloane admitted he had “…such difficulty with drawing horses’ legs that I usually compromised by having my animals standing in high grass”. {From Sloane’s Recollections in Black and White}. In “Winter”, those hooves appear to be obfuscated by snow. But that rabbit sure stands out!

Eric Sloane, Wiley Post, and the Winnie Mae

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“It was Sloane’s friendship with Wiley Post that introduced him to a new area of artistic exploration…Sloane wrote of flying with Post one day when the aviator told him that ‘Someday an artist will come along and just paint clouds and sky’.
-From Aware: A Retrospective of the life and work of Eric Sloane by Wil Mauch. Used by permission.

“The Winnie Mae”
Oil on Masonite


To learn more about the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum and our mission to assist in the preservation and interpretation of the Eric Sloane Museum and its collection, see www.friendsoftheericsloanemuseum.org. While you’re there, please consider making a donation online to our new hands-on classroom project.

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Eric Sloane at Deeley Gallery, Manchester Village, Vermont

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Eric Sloane – Deeley Gallery
Manchester Village, Vermont
October 1-19, 1971

Learn more about this most talented and fascinating American artist at www.weatherhillfarm.com.

To learn more about the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum and our mission to assist in the preservation and interpretation of the Eric Sloane Museum and its collection, see www.friendsoftheericsloanemuseum.org. While you’re there, please consider making a donation online to our new hands-on classroom project.

Eric Sloane’s Ski Paintings

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Not much of this going on around here as of late….

Eric Sloane, N.A.
Sunlight and Shadow
Oil on Panel
23.50″ x 31.50″
c. 1950

Photo from Wil Mauch’s Symbols of American Spirit: 50 Years of the Eric Sloane Museum

Some admirers of the works of Eric Sloane are startled to discover that the artist painted more than a few ski scenes during the early 1950s.  Eric’s sister Dorothy explained to me that Eric received a large, “coffee table book” in full color of scenes of Switzerland some time in the late 1940s and was captivated by photographs of the Alps.  What followed, according to Dorothy, was a period in which Eric produced scenes similar to Sunlight and Shadow.  Some of the paintings were set in Europe, while others were set in New England or the Rocky Mountain region of the Western United States.

       It would seem as if Sloane’s fascination with painting ski scenes was short lived, probably not more than a few years at most. – Wil Mauch, Symbols of American Spirit: 50 Years of the Eric Sloane Museum.