[Stefanian]

I've been thinking alot about Vincent Van Gogh lately, and remembering his paintings has really made me happy . My mom used to have Starry night hanging up in our house, and I remember watching it to see if the colors moved (His paintings are always swirling and flowing). Now that I'm older, and I have a new burden of issues, I think more about the man and less about the paintings. I remember reading somewhere that Van Gogh might have had Sz, and I guess the way he expressed himself through painting has inspired me.

I want to try out art, though I'm not very good, I just want to express myself with the words I could never find. I'll have to give it a try and see how it works.

Has anyone else used some sort of medium to express themselves, when words aren't enough? Mybe like singing, music, painting?

[fishsandwich]

I love the paintings of Van Gogh, especially the ones of trees and plants. This is one of my favourites:

I saw it in the Netherlands ages and ages ago, and I made a jumper based on it -- I knit. I'm not sure if that counts as art, but it helps me organise my mind because it's so very structured and repetitive. I make my own patterns sometimes, too. It doesn't replace expressing myself with words, but I am utter shite at drawing and kind of blind.

What kind of art would you try? Drawing, painting, ??? . . . I don't think you have to be good to express yourself with it (maybe to get a gallery showing, yeah -- but that's a different story!). Are there any places in your area you could take basic classes, so you can learn the techniques and such?

[Stefanian]

Well I want to try out painting, but I'm not sure where to start. I guess I might be able to find some place around me that offers some type of class or instruction on it.

The reason I say I'm not sure where to start, is because I haven't done it before and I'm not sure if I'll be horrible

But I guess I just really want to paint the things I feel but don't know how to say.

As long as I like it I guess that's all that matters!

[costello]

I like that painting too, fishsandwich!

I think knitting counts. It's creative.

[ickydog2006]

Van Gogh is my favorite artist and I love the work he did while institutionalized. My favorite is one from his "Olive Grove" series.

[ickydog2006]

I like doing collages.

[fishsandwich]

Originally Posted by ickydog2006

I like doing collages.

I had a friend who did those once, they seemed pretty cool. Do you find them therapeutic? How do you make them?

[ickydog2006]

I cut out stuff from magazines an paste them on scrapbook pages, sometimes with writing or drawings added. I find them theraputic. Some of them don't make any sense to others but are beautiful to me and some express a message more easily interpreted.

Here's a song about Vincent Van Gogh ... Including a collage of many of his paintings to observe while listening to the lyrics.

I've always thought this song to be nearly as beautiful as his paintings ...

I hope you enjoy it as much as I.

[fishsandwich]

Ah, I love Don McLean!

[Stefanian]

Believe it or not I was listening to that song as I wrote the thread topic