“The way
to know life is to love many things.” ~ Van Gogh
I was an Art History
major in college, and Van Gogh has always been one of my favorite painters.
When I chose art posters for my freshman dorm room (no rock stars for me) I
included one of Vincent’s olive groves. I now have a wonderful old, gnarled
olive tree in my backyard that reminds me of that painting every time I go
outside.
Take a look. Can you see
the essence of my olive tree in this picture Van Gogh painted after committing
himself to an asylum?
“The way
to know life is to love many things.”
I had never read this
quote before, but it sums up what I love about his work. There is nothing pale,
passive, or lukewarm about a Van Gogh painting. He clearly loved his subjects
as much as he loved the psychological and physical act of painting. His passion
is evident in every color, every brushstroke. The viewer cannot observe Van
Gogh from an emotional distance. And isn’t that what we seek to do as writers—create
a compelling and immediate story that sucks readers in from the first words?
So what can we as fellow
artists take from this quote? We may not be painters, but we need Van Gogh’s
passion in our work. In order to write well we need to know life. We need to
love many things.
We need to love the
world around us with all its sights, sounds, and smells in order to create
vivid settings that will resonate with our readers and draw them into our
stories. We need to love people as a whole. We need to find human beings fascinating
to give our characters individuality and depth. We need to love the strength of
the human spirit.
Alison
www.alisonhenderson.com
http://alisonhenderson.blogspot.com
Never stop loving, it restores our life. Great advice, Alison. Without passion for writing - and the people we write about - why bother? I envy you the olive tree in your backyard. What a great reminder of what you have loved.
ReplyDeleteAlison,
ReplyDeleteGreat blog, and the premise is so right. As writers we need to open ourselves up and look around. Observe and as I often tell my family, just absorb the ambience of what is around us. I love artists like Van Gogh. I don't know if I understand art, but visually it moves me.
I think to be a writer, or any kind of artist, you must be interested in the world around you. You have to observe and attempt to understand, and feel empathy and love for your subject. That holds true whether you're painting olive trees or writing about a complex character.
ReplyDeleteVery well said, Alison. Passion is the key to writing. (And not just the kind our characters engage in behind closed doors! LOL) On a side Van Gogh note...my daughters' Nordic team voted for race tights printed with Starry Night. By far, they have the coolest tights on the race course!
ReplyDeleteMargo, you are so right. Without passion, why bother?
ReplyDeleteRebecca, observation and finding out what moves us is what it's all about.
ReplyDeleteJana, you summed it up perfectly: observation, understanding, empathy, and love!
ReplyDeleteJannine, please, please, please post a picture of the girls in their Starry Night race tights. I would love to see those! I have a pair of Starry Night knees socks, but race tights would be fabulous!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post, Allison! Van Gogh is one of my favorites too. Love his Starry, Starry night. (Although Degas and his dancers are at the top of my list.)
ReplyDeleteI think the best creative people let their passion shine through their work.
Thanks for giving us that reminder.
What a beautiful post, Allison!!! I was a business major, but the famous biography about Van Gogh that the old movie was based on is how I learned about art, since I wasn't around much art, growing up in West Texas, but was always a reader. It was that book that got me interested in art and particularly the Impressionists. So, a Van Gogh print I've had for over 30+ years graces my study where I write. His story and paintings are what turned me on to art. I owe Van Gogh a huge debt!!!
ReplyDeleteI posted a pic of the tights on FB, Alison, since I couldn't figure out how to do it here!
ReplyDeleteI agree about the need to love and the more you love the more you understand life.
ReplyDeleteNan, I can't imagine anyone not loving Starry Night. Van Gogh put so much emotion into that sky.
ReplyDeleteHebby, I'm not surprised Van Gogh led you to appreciate art. His paintings reach out and touch the soul.
ReplyDeleteBarb, I think that's part of the wisdom of aging. The longer we're around, the more we love and the more we understand.
ReplyDeleteLove your insights, Alison! You're so right.
ReplyDeleteLove your insights, Alison! You're so right.
ReplyDelete