Van Gogh's Letters

When I started planning for my transition into working full time as an artist, I was talking to my friend Amy Stein about living in France for the summer to paint. She suggested that I read the letters of Van Gogh. I can't believe how interesting, inspirational and enlightening the letters are. Van Gogh was anything but the crazy madman we often find depicted. It sounds so much more interesting to have a crazed man with a paint brush slashing out these amazing paintings but this is unfair to him and his accomplishments. He helped invent a new concept in painting - expressionism. And this came from his intense work and study of other artists. His sincerity and dedication in his efforts are just amazing.

I found it funny to read his early letters when he is trying to become an artist. He hopes to become an artist that conveys emotion and feeling and his hopes seem to be quite modest. If only he knew the world would pay hundreds of millions of dollars for his painting because of the emotion conveyed in those paintings.

I feel like every artist should read his letters as they convey what all of our hopes and dreams are and how to try to dedicate ourselves to this calling.