Inspiration Thursday: Van Gogh

A few years ago I stopped teaching high school art after teaching it for 5 years. Each class without fail would bring up the question: “Is every artist is crazy?, Just look at Van Gogh, he cut off his ear” they would tell me. I made it my business to learn about this troubled man. And the more I read about him and viewed his art, the more sympathy I had for this poor, suffering soul. Many think he suffered from bipolar disorder, I think we will never know for sure. But one thing I do know, is he painted unbelievably beautiful paintings.

Can you imagine gazing out over some trees at a village on a starry night and painting this?? It is exciting, almost surreal. Full of color and paint, movement almost palpable, it takes you into a whirlwind of blues and yellows, never wanting to leave.
I love his texture in his paintings. There is almost a feeling of yearning for what his world could be, but isn’t quite.

About 2 years ago I went landscape painting in the beautiful Pennsylvania countryside. I was thinking of Van Gogh when I was painting, his texture, his beauty, his art. To much of the world he may have been “crazy”, but to me he had so much to offer the world, and I am glad I have seen it.

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