12.23.2022
This Day in History: 12.23 2022
In the earliest days of our being, my girlfriend exposed me to the world of art. I wasn't even a novice. I was totally ignorant to the depth of which I was to be drawn. By some stroke of luck, fate would see her accepting me as a prospect for her future, as unrefined as I was. For example, at a museum display of Remingtons, reached out to touch one of his stirring sculptures.
IDIOT!
"Steven", she said in a big-eyed, arm grabbing, semi quiet, kinda hushed swoop to save me from myself. She educated me in a serious, yet loving way. What an idiot I was. I still have it in me, but I like to believe that after forty years together, I can show her I've paid attention to the never ending work of her diligent efforts. Yes, I was fortunate enough to land this prize catch of a young woman and she agreed to be my bride. So almost 40 years later, we were together with our son, his awesome fiance', their two daughters and we were attending the Van Gogh Immersive Experience exhibit in Atlanta. I didn't touch ANYTHING! Well, you really couldn't anyway, but those lessons beginning 40 years ago clung to me like peanut butter to the roof of my mouth. She did it! My introduction to the art world has only grown since those early days in the eighties. All of this being said, art has been part of the mortar in our marriage. And, FYI, this is why Van Gogh and his amazing works are special to me. So even though allll of these years of loving and craving the arts of all kinds, I've not studied much of the backstories of artists. Yet. I have, until today, always envisioned V.VG totally cutting off his ear. Not the case. Whereas I pictured just a hole in the side of his head, the whole ear being totally removed. Not so. I tell this story as it relates to the importance of education, knowing before you speak or share when making a point. Half the story is not the true story. Read. Read. Read.
"On December 23, 1888, Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, suffering from severe depression, cuts off the lower part of his left ear with a razor while staying in Arles, France. He later documented the event in a painting titled Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear. Today, Van Gogh is regarded as an artistic genius and his masterpieces sell for record-breaking prices." In May 1890, Van Gogh moved to Auvers-sur-Oise, near Paris, where he continued to be plagued by despair and loneliness. On July 27, 1890, he allegedly shot himself and died two days later at age 37.
