I just finished listening to Van Gogh: A Power Seething* and the synapses are firing, the ideas zinging around my head, and it’s inspired me to start up a new series here on the blog: the Senses Project.
One of my high school English teachers didn’t assign book reports. Instead, we did either tracking projects on whole-class reads (we each had a character, element, or theme to track throughout the book then give a presentation on it at the end of the unit) or spin-off projects for independent reads (where we took an aspect of the book we chose and developed a presentation on that, rather than a synopsis of the book). These were, in my opinion, far superior to writing a book report and allowed us to express our creativity in the process. This is along those same lines.
I doubt I’ll do this for every book I read this year (in fact, I probably won’t even log this year’s reading the way I did most of last years–those posts were just gargantuan!), but I am in the mood to read more non-fiction, biography, etc. so as the inspiration hits, I’ll put a new one up.
Today’s has a very stream of consciousness start. There I was, in the car, listening to someone report on the early life of and read aloud letters sent by Vincent van Gogh largely to his younger brother, Theo. I’m sure most of us have this picture of the tortured artist in our heads from the public scuttlebutt about his life, but what we hear about is largely from the last decade of his life and some of it isn’t even correct.
But I’m getting ahead of myself! Let’s start with this quote from one of his letters to his brother. He didn’t start out wanting to be an artist, I don’t even think it was in his top 3–frankly, he didn’t seem to be setting out to do much of anything for a while, except push peoples buttons; this isn’t an entirely flattering “portrait” of the artist, more brutally honest than anything. But eventually he did find his way to art, and had this to say during the early days of painting:
“I’m glad that I’ve never learnt to paint… Probably then I would have LEARNT to ignore effects like this… I don’t know myself how I paint… I see that nature has told me something, has spoken to me and that I’ve written it down in shorthand.”
Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh, The Hague, September 3, 1882, letter 260
as quoted in Van Gogh: A Power Seething by Julian Bell
I love this idea that formal instruction would have been an impediment to his process and style. Granted, maybe things would have been easier for him, but easy is not always right. And it wouldn’t have suited his temperament as far as I can tell. We learn so much from just experimenting and trying.
But art as shorthand for nature, that’s just beautiful, too.
At any rate, listening to the book reminded me of two other works, stream of consciousness-style. The song Vincent by Don McClean (also sometimes referred to as Starry Starry Night, from the opening lyrics) and the movie Mona Lisa Smile. The former is a direct connection, the latter, well, if you haven’t see it, I urge you to for a variety of reasons, but of particular interest is the scene where the teacher and students discuss van Gogh’s sunflower painting.
And a popular lie is uttered:
…he never sold a painting in his lifetime.
But that’s not true, he sold at least one of record, and a second one is suspected (though the details are a bit fuzzy per this 1998 article from the Baltimore Sun). Furthermore, there’s a good chance he sold some sketches earlier on in his career and, as Bell points out, technically sold all of his work past a certain point to his brother. Theo largely supported Vincent and, in a fit of something, the artist decided he would not take handouts but would forward work onto Theo and would consider any money received to be payment for said work ,and based on merit, to boot!
Still, Vincent was just starting to make a name for himself in the larger art world when the confusion of his mind–he’d be living in an asylum for several years due to fits of what we would now call bipolar disorder or a non-seizure form of epilepsy, making him a danger to himself and to others–became too much and he committed suicide.
Mona Lisa Smile also sent me on a tangent to see if the other item of note in that scene, the paint by number kits of van Gogh’s more famous works, still existed (presuming that they did in the first place). They do! Though the ones I found on Amazon seem to use acrylics, not oils, and require the painter to add their own stretchers (wooden frame) or other support to facilitate painting. Still, I admit I’m tempted. Though the movie makes good story-use of the sunflower kits*, I’m more drawn to the almond blossom one* (based on one of his last paintings, done in the Japanese style that was heavily influencing art–and other realms–in those years, as a gift for his nephew). The colors and style would go nicely in our living room and, since it’s from the 1890s, isn’t all that far off from the time our house was built!
In moments I’d come up with something to read, see, hear, and do–what about the last sense, taste? (One could argue, after all, that paint would tickle the sense of smell, especially oil paint!) Food may not have featured highly in Vincent’s letters to Theo, but drink did. For those who are open to adult beverages, Absinthe is your best bet for imbibing as van Gogh did. And he was from Holland (though spent a lot of time in France and some in London as well), so you could also indulge in some good, imported Gouda (their best-known cheese); I prefer the smoked variety, though I don’t know how authentic that would be! Potatoes would also be appropriate, of you could go with a Dutch Baby pancake (maybe topped with cheese for a savory supper).
And thus we have a recipe for some independent study, engaging all the five senses and with both quick and more involved options. I kind of love the idea of a book spurring deeper investigation and self-study, don’t you?
To sum up:
- Read: Van Gogh: A Power Seething * by Julian Bell
- See: Mona Lisa Smile (available on Netflix at the time of this writing)
- Listen: Vincent by Don McLean
- Do:Paint-by-Number van Gogh Kit*(*Amazon affiliate links)
- Eat: Gouda cheese, potatoes, Dutch baby pancakes, Absinthe
Anyone game to try? Have you ever read and seen something that sent you on your own journey of exploration?