Skip to main content

Van Gogh

 
The singular Vincent Van Gogh, "Bedroom at Arles", 1889 (the third version he painted), now on display at theDetroit Institute of Arts, courtesy of the Musee D'Orsay in Paris, France. Photo courtesy of the Musee D'Orsay.
 
 

Yesterday I got to spend a few minutes alone with one of my most favorite painters in the whole world and one of his most compelling images.

 
It's not just his imagery that I find so compelling. It is his voice, his ideas, shared so honestly in letters to his family and friends, that drives my infatuation (if you are so inclined, please read The Yellow House - it will change your life).

 
Van Gogh wasn't the first artist to feel as though hecouldn't capture the essence of a subject in his work. But he was one of the first to paint more than a mere likeness. He took reality, our shared reality, and infused it with his emotional energy. Some of his feelings we immediately connect with, like the awe of a vast and starry night. Others are a little more difficult to fathom, like the tortured brushwork inside his later self-portraits.

 
And this painting, this room, this is the space where he fought with his demons, not just literally while painting (which he did multiple times), but literally while he lived there. Beyond depicting the details of his surroundings, the painting summarizes the struggle any creative soul has with their inner critic or muse. And it simultaneously brings along the promise of a new day, another chance, a clean slate.

 
Sharing the same space with this painting brought me to tears (and The Princess quietly moved to the back of the gallery, giving me a chance to collect myself). And a full day later, I am still light headed.

 
I am proud to be an Art Geek!
Kim

Living With Van Gogh

 

 
I love Van Gogh so much that I've painted two VG-esque murals in my home - one on the ceiling of the front porch (pictured above, inspired by his Starry Night) and another on the floor of the back porch (pictured below, inspired by his Irises).


They remind me to make more time to savor the color and majesty of our world.

 

Comments

  1. never seen that painting before, i really need to do more research about him. would love to see the work in person

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, Jennifer - you need to see more of his work! it's entirely different viewing in person vs online/printed - there is a dense tactile quality to the density of paint, and you can literally trace with your eyes his gestures as he painted. It's amazing. :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tabby Kit

"Tabby Kit," 5" x 7", acrylics on a museum quality panel, depicting a tiny little orange striped guy from Morgue File . This painting can be yours for $289, which includes s&h inside the US. And in case you didn't see it, a little doodle of him is also available for sale here . Inquires may come directly to me .  Although it certainly doesn't FEEL like spring here (snow and ice and wind chills, brr!), I can tell that spring is coming. The mercury is rising a wee bit each day and the days are getting longer and brighter. Over the weekend we drove with the moonroof open just to feel the sun's meager and oh-so-very-welcome warmth (although the heat in the car was cranked, too, in the interest of full disclosure!). I wanted to work with spring-like colors today, and this little guy was still on my mind , so I grabbed a small panel and got to work. Of course, I also have Poppy to finish and some changes to make to another po
“Rapt (Shadow),” from the Larger than Life series, 16”x22”, acrylic black lab mixed breed pet portrait on gallery wrapped canvas, $699. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD. This is Shadow, who went missing on Sunday night. He belongs to a friend of mine, and has been a fixture in our community for many years. Errant fireworks scared the silly old guy into running off, and his family is busy searching for him. (If you happen to be in the Lake Orion/Oakland County area and have seen Shadow, please call 248-391-0867 or 248-391-6817) I’m confidant that he is safe (somewhere!) and awaiting discovery, but meanwhile, couldn’t help myself from posting his portrait as today’s dog a day painting . He’s constantly on my mind, and probably will remain so, until he finds his way back home. Hug your four legged guys while you can! Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with friends and family, Kim Kimberly Kelly Santini http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/ dis

NEW! Etsy Store

One of my favorite unsold paintings from 2008, "Lashes & Corkscrews," 5" x 8", acrylic on canvasboard, depicting a tobiano buckskin curly horse, $289. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com (but read further on how you can get a special deal on this painting!). Now it's ridiculously easy to browse my painting archives. All you have to do is visit my Etsy store . Etsy has a Shopping Cart (so you can pile it high with purchases from a variety of artists), is integrated with Paypal (although you may still pay by check if you prefer to), and is terribly simple to navigate. When the week has ended, I will have listed almost 100 of my favorite (UNSOLD!) paintings here, grouped loosely by subject matter. During 2009 I'll update the shop regularly, and add non-Dog-a-Day pieces as a bonus, thus making it easy to search for that perfect gift. Watch my daily postings for announcements, promotions and discount codes. If you do not receive the Dog-a-Day emails (