Wonderful, insightful essay. And yes to all those feelings around writing. I've got them, too. Especially love this: Writing is where I go to remember who I am.
Really enjoyed your essays on Van Gough and O'Keeffe. I seem to have a connection to both artists. I first saw an O'keeffe exhibition in the 70's, forget where, and her art really struck a chord with me. I love her stark interpretation of landscapes and nature. Later I visited Taos and Santa Fe and I really "got it'. She captured the southwest so perfectly. In a similar way I have always enjoyed Van Gough and was on a bicycle trip in Provence and we visited the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum near Saint-Rémy. Again it was so obvious he captured the beauty of the Provence landscape in his unique way. Both essays made me think about their way of seeing. Thanks to the link to you substack - I really enjoyed it and you are a wonderful writer - Dave (from watercolor class)
Hey, Dave! Thanks for subscribing and reading! I just signed up for the intermediate class with Teresa!
That is so cool that you got to visit the asylum where Van Gogh stayed. And to see that landscape. I went to the O’Keeffe museum in Santa Fe the year it opened and it was amazing, though I’d love to go back. I love those stark landscapes of the Southwest, but in the end, I’ll take the green rolling hills of Kentucky (and southern Indiana) over almost any other place.
Oh this is so relevant for so many of us!
Thanks, Niki! I thinks it's something a lot of us struggle with and probably, yes, very much dependent on gender.
Wonderful, insightful essay. And yes to all those feelings around writing. I've got them, too. Especially love this: Writing is where I go to remember who I am.
Thanks, as always, Barb.
Really enjoyed your essays on Van Gough and O'Keeffe. I seem to have a connection to both artists. I first saw an O'keeffe exhibition in the 70's, forget where, and her art really struck a chord with me. I love her stark interpretation of landscapes and nature. Later I visited Taos and Santa Fe and I really "got it'. She captured the southwest so perfectly. In a similar way I have always enjoyed Van Gough and was on a bicycle trip in Provence and we visited the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum near Saint-Rémy. Again it was so obvious he captured the beauty of the Provence landscape in his unique way. Both essays made me think about their way of seeing. Thanks to the link to you substack - I really enjoyed it and you are a wonderful writer - Dave (from watercolor class)
Hey, Dave! Thanks for subscribing and reading! I just signed up for the intermediate class with Teresa!
That is so cool that you got to visit the asylum where Van Gogh stayed. And to see that landscape. I went to the O’Keeffe museum in Santa Fe the year it opened and it was amazing, though I’d love to go back. I love those stark landscapes of the Southwest, but in the end, I’ll take the green rolling hills of Kentucky (and southern Indiana) over almost any other place.
I wish that wanting to create are and living on one's own terms didn't automatically mean heartless, selfish, etc. :(
Me, too.
Saved this a long time ago—enjoyed it; thank you!
Thanks, Peter!
The Lawrence tree is utterly amazing and a good reminder to look up. Love the cake bidding glance.