Vincent Van Gogh – Page 2 – Analog Artist Digital World

I was excited when we got to Arles, France which was the home base for Vincent Van Gogh when he did hundreds of his vibrant post impressionistic paintings. We went inside the asylum where he was interred after he cut off his ear. The inner courtyard garden was supposed to be planted exactly as it was when he painted it a hundred years ago. It was instead ripped up with all the soil in chaotic piles. It was a depressing sight so I decided to settle instead in a bustling public square called Place de La Republic. The street to my left was full of shops which Terry explored as I sketched.

In the center of the square is a fourth century Roman Obélisque. It was first erected by the Roman Emperor Constantine II in the center of the a large open-air venue used for public events in Arles. After the circus was abandoned in the 6th century, the obelisk fell down and was broken in two parts. It was rediscovered in 14th century. And it was re-erected in its
current location in 17th century on top of a pedestal designed by
Jacques Peytret. A fountain at the base was designed by Antoine Laurent Dantan in 19th century.

Diet Coke was being offered for free from a tricycle with a portable refrigerator on the front of it. Large groups of boisterous school kids sat at the base of the of the Obélisque. Empty coke cans littered the ancient paving stones at my feet. It is a shame I don’t like Diet Coke, I was offered some every fifteen minutes or so.

Christie Miga was an instructor at an art school for kids over the summer. I visited the class to show the kids some sketchbooks and hopefully get them fired up about sketching. At their young age, they are all uninhibited and creative work horses. The lean in and sketch with absolute conviction since no one has curbed their enthusiasm. One of the instructors sat in a chair and modeled for the room of artists. I liked how one little girl flexed her flip flops as she drew. Children’s drawings are often bold with bright colors. There is plenty I learned from them.

Right now I’m in the South of France where Vincent Van Gogh did his vibrant inspired paintings. Some buildings have a reproduction of one of Vincent’s paintings as a claim to fame. One such place in Arles was the Van Gogh Cafe. It looks just like a painting Vincent did of a café at night. The outer walls of the cafe were painted a bright yellow. I think in Vincent’s day those walls were a boring cream or stone color. He painted the bright yellow to contrast against the Ultramarine night sky. Today people try to copy from his fevered imagination. He didn’t paint only the colors he saw; he used colors to convey feelings, emotions and warmth. He always hoped people would sit in a comfortable chair and warm themselves besides the warmth of his hearth. As the sun set over the southern landscape, the warm light made it seem like every tree was on fire, reaching towards the crystal blue sky. The landscape flew by at 70 kilometers per hour. The engines roared as people raced each other to their destinations. But now was he time to slow down and look.