From the time I was twelve years old and stood in front of one of Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings, I have been in love with this man and his art. As a preteen, I had the unbelievable privilege of being able to see his art at the center of the art universe….Paris, France.
I’ve spent this summer reading up on Vincent life including reading the hundreds of letters he wrote to his brother Theo. My love for Vincent and his devotion to his art has grown even more. I am fascinated by this man’s drive to create and paint his world. His letters to his brother are incredible. He describes the colors in his landscapes in such detail that you begin to understand why he chose to paint in striking colors and with such passion. While his life was cut short, his vast collection of paintings and the more than 700 letters to his brother chronicle his life and leaves behind one of the most important legacies of painting ever to enrich the world.
And now nearly fifty years later, I have rediscovered Vincent. A few months ago, I was standing in front of one of my little kindergarten classes at Glenbrook when Jonathan said, “Mrs. Chris, when are you going to tell us about Vincent Van Gogh. You said you were going to tell us about him.” I’m sure some of the parents of my Glenbrook students will tell you that no one escapes the story about my favorite all time artist.
So, I set out all my props….the painting of Vincent’s Starry Starry Night, the storyboard…everything I needed to begin my story about the world’s greatest artist. Halfway into the story, Jonathan comments, “You know his birthday is March 30th!” To which, “I replied, how did you know that?” I certainly hadn’t shared that and actually, I didn’t even remember that. I turned to Jonathan and the other kids and said, “You know what?” …. And almost as if it were rehearsed, you could hear them all say “Let’s have a party for Vincent.”
I went home that evening and got out my book about Vincent and began to admire his work for the millionth time. And it occurred to me that the little guys might have come up with the best idea yet. A party for Vincent. It had merit. It has possibilities. By golly, we’re gonna do it, I thought.
I’ve spent this summer reading up on Vincent life including reading the hundreds of letters he wrote to his brother Theo. My love for Vincent and his devotion to his art has grown even more. I am fascinated by this man’s drive to create and paint his world. His letters to his brother are incredible. He describes the colors in his landscapes in such detail that you begin to understand why he chose to paint in striking colors and with such passion. While his life was cut short, his vast collection of paintings and the more than 700 letters to his brother chronicle his life and leaves behind one of the most important legacies of painting ever to enrich the world.
I’ve rediscovered Vincent and this coming spring, with the help of a lot of volunteers and a faithful core of board members, Cultural Crossroads will be celebrating Vincent Van Gogh’s 160th birthday on March 30th at the Farm. A little class of kindergarteners had a great idea and thanks to them, we are having a party for Vincent…and you are invited!
Spring Arts Festival #19
CHICKENSTOCK
"A Party for Vincent"
at the Moess Center for the Arts & City Farm,
March 29 & 30, 2013 in Minden, La.
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