Starry, starry night
Paint your pallet blue and gray
Look out on the summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Paint your pallet blue and gray
Look out on the summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and daffodils
Catch the breeze and winter chill
In colors on the snowy linen land
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
The did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
The did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue
Colors changing hue
Morning fields of amber gray
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when your love was left inside
On that starry, starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you, Vincent
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you
But still your love was true
And when your love was left inside
On that starry, starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you, Vincent
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you
Like the strangers that you've met
The ragged men in ragged clothes
The silver thorn, a bloody rose
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow
The ragged men in ragged clothes
The silver thorn, a bloody rose
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow
Now I think I know
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They're not listening still
Perhaps they never will
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They're not listening still
Perhaps they never will
----Don McLean, Songwriter
It was so wonderful to spend a special time together during our February book club meeting discussing Vincent Van Gogh! A truly a fascinating artist who was unaware of how wonderful his work really was. His contemporaries did not seem realize it either.
I have to confess that it was immensely gratifying to witness each of you experience the exploration of your artistic talents! We are all born artists who put our own personal touches to convey and interpret thoughts and perceptions through our artwork! My greatest hope is that each of you make time to find pleasure in exploring your artistic talents. Here are some thoughts on your artwork! ---Miggy
Robin L.
I love how you patiently and delicately accentuated your flower's intense color!
Sandra
I love that you reinvented and reimagined that beautiful flower by adding vivant colors and movement!
Robin A.
I love how you represented the intense color and depth of this beautiful morning glory flower!
Mary
I love how you added a delicate flair to this delightful flower! It brings images of a softly swirling dancer's skirt!
Myrna
I love the jewel tone blue you chose to represent this beautiful flower,
how you outlined each petal and how you chose to place it on the
canvas! I motivates me to experiment with similar colors!
Sandra
Loved your shading and how you chose to represent this elegant calla lily!
Maria
I
love your delicate dainty flowers! Loved your attention to detail as
you highlighted each petal and used brush strokes to add texture to the
leaves!
Yvette
I loved how you used color to show depth and movement and draw the eye of the viewer to this vibrant flower!
Interesting Van Gogh Tidbits
For what is he famous?
Vincent Van Gogh was famous for his paintings that inspired the styles of Symbolism, Fauvism and Expressionism, but he is also well known for the mental health issues he had over the 37 years he lived. He completed2,100 pieces of art, of which 860 were oil paintings and 1,300 were watercolors.
For how much did Vincent Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" sell? Vincent Van Gogh's painting "Sunglowers" set records by being auctioned for $39.9 million at famed Christie's auction ahouse in 1987. Adjusted for inflation, that price tag nearly doubles to approximately $74.5 million in 2014. He created five versions of sunflowers. Vincent van Gogh was plagued by depression and hallucinations. Much of his work is considered heavily biographical and his modd swings can be detected in the sunflower series. Some of the flowers are vivd and brightly colored, made possible by vibrant pigments that were not manufactured until the 19th century. Others were painted with arid browns and portrayed as wilting and withered.
How many paintings did Van Gogh sell during his lifetime? Vincent Van Gogh sold exactly ONE painting during his lifetime. It was an oil landscape entitled "The Red Vineyard at Arles", and it was purchased in 1890 by Van Gogh's friend and fellow painter, Anna Boch. Sold for 400 francs in Paris, it now resides in Moscow's Pushkin Museum of Art.
Vincent Van Gogh was famous for his paintings that inspired the styles of Symbolism, Fauvism and Expressionism, but he is also well known for the mental health issues he had over the 37 years he lived. He completed2,100 pieces of art, of which 860 were oil paintings and 1,300 were watercolors.
For how much did Vincent Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" sell? Vincent Van Gogh's painting "Sunglowers" set records by being auctioned for $39.9 million at famed Christie's auction ahouse in 1987. Adjusted for inflation, that price tag nearly doubles to approximately $74.5 million in 2014. He created five versions of sunflowers. Vincent van Gogh was plagued by depression and hallucinations. Much of his work is considered heavily biographical and his modd swings can be detected in the sunflower series. Some of the flowers are vivd and brightly colored, made possible by vibrant pigments that were not manufactured until the 19th century. Others were painted with arid browns and portrayed as wilting and withered.
How many paintings did Van Gogh sell during his lifetime? Vincent Van Gogh sold exactly ONE painting during his lifetime. It was an oil landscape entitled "The Red Vineyard at Arles", and it was purchased in 1890 by Van Gogh's friend and fellow painter, Anna Boch. Sold for 400 francs in Paris, it now resides in Moscow's Pushkin Museum of Art.
What is van Gogh's most famous painting? There are many of Vincent van Gogh's paintings that are famous. "The Starry Night," "Irises" and "Sunflowers" are a few of his most popular works. Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" was described by art critic Robert Hughes as "the most popular still life in the history of art." Van Gogh's "Irises"sold for a record $53.9 million. And the most popular painting at New York City's Museum of Modern Art is van Gogh's "The Starry Night."
---by Angela Morgan
God, when you thought of a pine tree,
How did you think of a star?
How did you dream of the Milky Way
To guide us from afar.
How did you think of a clean brown pool
Where flecks of shadows are?
God, when you thought of a cobweb,
How did you think of dew?
How did you know a spider's house
Had shingles bright and new?
How did you know the human folk
Would love them like they do?
God, when you patterned a bird song,
Flung on a silver string,
How did you know the ecstasy
That crystal call would bring?
How did you think of a bubbling throat
And a darling speckled wing?
God, when you chiseled a raindrop,
How did you think of a stem,
Bearing a lovely satin leaf
To hold the tiny gem?
How did you know a million drops
Would deck the morning's hem?
Why did you mate the moonlit night
With the honeysuckle vines?
How did you know Madeira bloom
Distilled ecstatic wines?
How did you weave the velvet disk
Where tangled perfumes are?
God, when you thought of a pine tree,
How did you think of a star?
Thank you again, Miggy for such a beautiful and exciting experience and for all of the time, patience and effort that went into the planning. Thank you Robin & Mryna for such a gorgeous blog that captured our experience so perfectly!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful experience I had. I never thought of myself being artistic, however during this painting I felt it was something I could do and improve on. It was also very relaxing and I enjoyed that aspect as well. Thank you Miggy for this experience. I hope we can try again soon.
ReplyDeleteI had such a wonderful time! I usually just like taking pictures of flowers! Thank you, Miggy for giving us the opportunity to develop our artistic sides!
ReplyDeleteMiggy it was a time to treasure! What a surprise, after being so disappointed in the book! In this case, I can tell a book by it's cover -- which I liked way more than the words inside. Thanks to your monumental efforts to give us this artistic experience, I understand on a much deeper level about creating a painting. There are many similarities to music, which I also love deeply. A friend of mine reminded me that one can combine hiking and art -- just bring your easel and paints with you, and stop where nature calls, and create! We've seen it more than once, on trails in Harriman.
ReplyDeleteBravo! and thank you!
XXOO
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ReplyDeleteThank you Miggy for reviving a passion that I had long forgotten. I can't stop thinking about my next painting! I really enjoyed learning about Van Gogh's art and his inner struggles. It goes to show that inside a troubled mind there is beauty and hope...Thank you all for a beautiful evening.
ReplyDeleteHi Ladies,
ReplyDeleteAgain the sentiment is so true! It was a enlightening, enchanting evening. I felt like I was swept up in the world of an artist. Miggy your preparation for this was immensely heartfelt. Your special details were so touching. Thank you for the delicious and colorful pizza! and dessert! I really liked what you said about my painting, you are right it does look like a dancers skirt swirling. I like it even better now, thanks for your tips on making it more vibrant. You are quite the artist!! I love that you put all your paintings around your home. It clearly is full of love and acceptance. The story of Van Gogh makes me sad, the song is really sad. What a tormented man he was, but thankfully he was able to have an outlet, which was his painting. Again, like so many others they don't get to reap the benefits. Someone else becomes wealthy from his paintings. It is so sad that many times we appreciate and value people after they are gone. Let's take from this book club meeting, not only our ability to be creative but to appreciate our loves while we are living!! I appreciate you all and thank you for being a blessing in my life.
We really missed those that couldn't make it. You complete our book club.
Be Blessed!!
Mary
Next month's book is "because of Mr. Terupt" by Rob Buyea on Monday, March 6th.