Vincent van Gogh was a painter born in the Netherlands in 1853. He is famous for his bold paintings that evoke a range of moods and energy. With distinct brushstrokes and striking colors, many can feel movement in his art. His work is admired, along with some very unique facts about his life.
Mr. van Gogh struggled with poverty and mental illness. He painted his most famous painting, “Starry Night” in an “insane asylum.” He created nearly 900 paintings and over 2,000 pieces of additional art in the form of other watercolors, drawings and sketches, all within just a decade of his artistic career. Shockingly, he only sold one painting in his short life. Before committing suicide at the young age of 37, he used creativity as a coping mechanism and a way to express himself.
“It is not the language of painters but the language of nature which one should listen to….The feeling for the things themselves, for reality, is more important than the feeling for pictures.”
⁃ Vincent van Gogh
May is national Mental Health Awareness Month.
This creates a friendly reminder for us to check in with ourselves and check in on those we love. Just itty-bitty moments to take time out to verbalize and show care – for your yourself and others – can have a big impact.
May we find inspiration from artists like Vincent van Gogh to encourage our internal listening, creativity and tuning into nature; all while understanding how truly precious our mental health is.
Here is a short and sweet previous post about nature from February 11, 2023:
https://www.myfestus.com/nature/
These pictures were extracted from the website:
https://www.vangoghgallery.com/catalog/gallery.html
