A Lesson from Vincent Van Gogh

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Recently my family and I traveled to Paris, France to visit the amazing sights of this great city and the beautiful French countryside of the Normandy. Our travels took us to Auvers-sur-Oise, where Vincent Van Gogh spent his last months before he died. It was here that I was reminded how important it is to express oneself through art. Van Gogh was quite a difficult man but he found peace when he painted as his own life was a very lonely place, with much anger, regrets, and little love. Yet, he saw so much light and beauty around him. His paintings reflect a view of his world with rich colors, textures and great light. Keep in mind that Vincent Van Gogh only sold one painting during his lifetime and people thought his works of art to be ugly. The people of Auvers-sur-Oise wanted little to do with him and so it was with great sadness that he died without feeling appreciated for his art. As I walked the very places he painted, I am amazed how his art is a walk back in time. Through his eyes, I can see the village, streets, the fields, and gardens just as they existed in the late 1890's. His brushstrokes lines visible and occurring loosely as his brushes touched the canvas. Admiring his art, I become lost in the beauty of his work that was less concerned with perfect lines but much more about capturing beautiful color and light. We should not be consumed with creating perfect art but allow ourselves to be in the moment of that feeling when we want to do something creatively, whatever that may be for us. Art should be, an imperfect expression of what ones sees and feels in the moment. Let us be a little bit more 'Van Gogh' like when we create art.

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