It’s Important To Take Yourself on Artist’s Dates

Since reading The Artist’s Way I have made a point of having artist’s dates. According to Julia Cameron’s website, “The Artist Date is a once-weekly, festive, solo expedition to explore something that interests you…Artist Dates fire up the imagination. They spark whimsy. They encourage play. Since art is about the play of ideas, they feed our creative work by replenishing our inner well of images and inspiration.”

Developing an Appreciation For the Fine Arts

I fell in love with art as a sophomore in college when I took an art history class. I didn’t know much about art then, but the class fulfilled a liberal arts requirement so I grabbed it. The class covered the earliest cave paintings in France through the Roman Empire.

I remember how the professor seemed so ancient to my 19-year-old eyes but was probably in his mid-forties, not old at all now of course. He was a slight, slender man in khaki pants, polo shirts, and sweaters tied around his neck though it was summer in the San Fernando Valley in California and close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone as excited about their subject as that professor was. He spoke with such enthusiasm, describing the hieroglyphics inside the Egyptian pyramids as though they were indeed handed down by the gods.

The professor led a class expedition to the J. Paul Getty Museum and I remember being completely enchanted as I studied the Greek statues and pottery. I found the professor, and his subject, endearing, and it was because of that class I developed a lifelong love for art.

The Genius of Van Gogh’s Paintings

I’ve always felt a special connection to Van Gogh, as so many others have. While I’m hardly comparing what I do to what he did, I do feel a certain camaraderie with him because I also try to do something different with my art, something that hasn’t been done before, at least not exactly in that way.

I try to show things the way I see them rather than the way I think I’m supposed to see them. There’s something about his use of colors, brushstrokes, and emotions that is truly unique. One glance at one of his paintings and you know it’s a Van Gogh.

Visiting Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience

Whenever there’s a Van Gogh exhibition nearby, I always visit. This week I saw the Van Gogh Immersion Experience at Area 15 here in Las Vegas. I’ve never seen anything like it.

The exhibit is in a large room with tables and chairs, and you sit down, order a drink (diet coke for me), and watch as Van Gogh’s sketches and paintings come to life on the walls around you. The images morph from one scene to another, and the video display even appears to be 3D in places.

The pictures don’t really do the display justice. Here’s a brief video from Area 15 that shows the imagery to a better advantage.

There’s a similar Van Gogh immersion experience happening in London now. If the display comes to an area near you, and you love art, Van Gogh, or you’re looking for a unique Artist Date, I highly recommend it. It’s a pleasant way to spend time admiring the genius that is Van Gogh while finding inspiration for our own artistic endeavors.