Sometimes we might think that our life is not going well. We might feel like we are being swept away like a leaf. We might think that there is no hope for the future. What if I told you you weren’t alone?
Imagine a child who is only 11 years old and is studying in a boarding school far from his family. Not too long after, two years later, he has to quit his education due to circumstances. At the age of 16, he has to work. He starts a job in a bookstore and is then transferred to a branch of that bookstore in another country. During his stay in London in the 1870s, he visits the British Museum and art galleries. This is the important part. Sometimes the places we visit can be a source of inspiration for the rest of our lives. These trips fuel this young man’s curiosity and interest in art.
He stays in different countries for a while and finally returns to his birth place, the Netherlands. He takes long walks in the charming streets of the Netherlands and on the green path along the canals. Sometimes he stops and stares at the wonderful sights he sees. When he feels low, he realizes that he relaxes by scribbling or sketching. However, the young man doesn’t care about these scribbles. It is his brother that convinces him to concentrate on art and begin to study drawing. He moves to Brussels in 1880 to receive art education as his brother provides him with financial and moral support.
A year later he returns home. His family criticizes him for pursuing art instead of finding a job and working. Even though he feels sad about that, he continues to follow his dreams.
Despite experiencing a tumultuous life, starting from the age of 27, he remarkably produced approximately 2100 works within a mere span of 10 years. Among this impressive body of work were 860 oil paintings. He paints landscapes, still lifes, portraits and self-portraits. Most of his found works consist of work he did in the last two years before his death.
This young man is none other than the Vincent van Gogh we all know. You can visit the Vincent van Gogh museum in Amsterdam to see his works closely.
Lets not forget! One of the power sources that can turn the crises we experience into opportunities is hidden in the arts.
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