31 Comments
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Susan J Tweit's avatar

Vincent's trees! Oh my heavens, what a vision he had. Thank you, Candace, for illustrating his letters in a way that I see and feel them anew. What a gift you have. Thank you for sharing it with all of us. Blessings to you and yours, plus a hug from my land of sagebrush and wide skies.

Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you so much for your beautiful comment, Susan! And I absolutely had a feeling you might enjoy the progression of Vincent's tree paintings :) I'd always known I wanted to include the peach tree that he dedicated to his mentor Mauve, but it all came together once I found his final painting of the tree roots -- it just seemed like the perfect motif and note to end this series on, and I'm so happy to hear it's spoken to you 🌻💛🙏

M. Louisa Locke's avatar

Again, so lovely to have the letter juxtaposed with the paintings.

Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you so much, Mary Lou, I'm so glad you've enjoyed this series 🌻💛

Shauna K. Hunt's avatar

Yes!

irene fizzell's avatar

💗

The Bird Soup Diaries's avatar

Beautifully done! I adore this 😍😍😍

Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you so much for your lovely comment, I'm delighted to hear you enjoyed this! 🌻💛

Sarah Christy's avatar

My Tuesday morning inspiration. Thank you.

Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

That makes me so happy to hear, Sarah -- and thank you as always for reading and being here 🌻💛

Gayle Mavor's avatar

Love this. So interesting and Pink Peach Trees stopped me in my tracks. Such a tragic life he had and yet the beauty of his soul in every painting.

Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you so much for your comment and moving words, Gayle -- I especially loved hearing that Pink Peach Trees spoke to you, too. I've been drawn to that painting ever since I learned about how Vincent dedicated his first version of it to Mauve, so it meant so much to get to see it in Amsterdam last weekend. I'll be sharing about that moment in our monthly letter for paid subscribers later this week, so more to come soon! 🌻💛

Dianne Moritz's avatar

Your posts are the highlight of my week. Van Gogh is fortunate to have had the support of his brother and this mentor.

When I saw the impressionists in the Jeu de Pomme in Paris in summer, 1972, they had been relegated there rather than the Louve.

My friend and I had missed seeing his work in Amsterdam by one year!

Van Gogh is my favorite artist of all time. His life was tragic and way too short. I had a huge reproduction in my home for years, but repros do not do justice to his incredible genius.

Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you so much for your kind words and comment, Diane -- I loved hearing that Van Gogh means so much to you, and I hope you've enjoyed getting to spend a little more time with him this summer here 🌻💛

Dianne Moritz's avatar

Thank you for this.

Douglas L. Peck's avatar

Awesome

Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you, Douglas!

Hilda Scheenstra's avatar

I enjoyed this series very much 🙏

Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

I'm so glad to hear that, Hilda! 🌻💛

Cate Whittle's avatar

I have come to love his art - and am glad he settled on painter rather than pastor - but it breaks my heart that recognition came after he was gone and that imposter syndrome and uncertainty were his constant companions. How wonderful to have had a mentor like Anton Mauve who encouraged and guided his passion - and provided the equipment which must have been quite a financial outlay! Thank you for sharing his words and paintings.

Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you so much for your beautiful comment, Cate, and please know I couldn't agree more with you -- especially with your moving words about how uncertainty was one of Vincent's constant companions. As I've been reading "Dear Theo" this summer, I've been so struck by all the moments when he wonders if he'll ever arrive, and all you want to do is reach back through time and tell him how much he will. Thank you again for reading and being here, it's always a joy to hear from you 🌻💛

Sue Cauhape's avatar

This has been a treat to see your posts about Van Gogh. He is such a fascinating man, one who, thank goodness, found his destiny before he died. Like you, I wish he had lived longer, but it was an unhealthy time to be alive. And he was so plagued with heartache. Thank you for these letters.

Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you for your kind words and comment last week, Sue! I was especially moved by what you wrote about Vincent "finding his destiny before he died," and I'm so glad you've enjoyed spending time with his letters here this summer 🌻💛

Shauna K. Hunt's avatar

Just what I needed today! Yellow is my favorite color, too.💛 I desperately want to read this book. Everything is so beautiful and uplifting.

Thank you for truly spreading sunshine!☀️💛 Thank you for sharing Van Gogh with us. It is lovely to see people in dimensions rather than flat. You have brought Vincent Van Gogh to life for me.

I hope you have a wonderful week!

Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

"You have brought Vincent Van Gogh to life for me." Shauna, I can't tell you how much I love hearing that -- it's exactly what I was hoping this series might do 🌻💛 Thank you so much for letting me know you've enjoyed spending time with Vincent's letters this summer, and I so hope you'll have a chance to read "Dear Theo" soon! 🫶

Nora Thompson's avatar

Thank you for this lovely and interesting Van Gogh early history of which I was not aware but now I am!

Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Nora! I'm so glad you've enjoyed spending time with Vincent here this summer 🌻💛

Aussie Jo's avatar

This was a wonderful post, I liked it

Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you, Jo! 🌻