STARRY NIGHT

Starry Night

Life Lessons from Van Gogh

Despite the lovely writing prompts, I haven’t had the mental energy to write or read much this month. But I want to share some thoughts and meditations from my recent visit to the Van Gogh Immersive Experience in New Orleans.

Rather than focus primarily on Van Gogh’s life and art, I will reflect on life lessons inspired by this unique artistic experience. This will be a surface-level piece because I don’t have the time or energy to write in-depth at the moment. But I feel these lessons are worth mentioning and valuable enough to stand alone. This star is bright enough to light even the darkest night.

“What makes van Gogh, and in this case, his Starry Night, unique?”

Here’s a thought-provoking photo I took of an exhibit at the show. I didn’t add the words to the photos. They were present at the time the image was displayed.

“What makes van Gogh, and in this case, his Starry Night, unique?”

What a great question! I believe they are seeking an artistic explanation, such as the uniqueness of his brushstrokes and the new techniques he introduced to the art world. But the dreamy nature of this experience inspires me to use artistic license in my interpretation of this question. The video from which I shot the above photo answers this question in a wonderfully artistic manner.

Here is my personal answer.

What stands out to me about Van Gogh and his art is that he is relatable to the common person, and his humanity shines in his art. Starry Night is a reminder that none of us are common. We are all unique, and greatness is shining in each of us. Just as the stars explode in the universe light-years away, we each have talents and abilities, sometimes hidden out of sight. When we follow our passions, whether writing or art, etc., our light shines for others to see.

Our words become words of wisdom that penetrate the darkness and guide us like the North Star. Polaris, also known as the North Star, isn’t the brightest star in the sky. What’s special about it is that it stays at nearly the same spot in the sky, so it can help us navigate in the Northern Hemisphere. Likewise, when we let our hidden talents and abilities shine, they become beacons of hope bursting forth from within us. That is what Van Gogh’s Starry Night painting represents to me — hope.

The darkened cypress tree on the left of the painting is a strong representation of death. He juxtaposes the darkened, muted earth with the brilliant colorful night sky filled with stars, which can represent heaven or a bridge to a brighter world. Or, as I stated, it can represent hope and illuminate a brighter path.

“For me, van Gogh’s painting is the most wonderful interpretation of human suffering into something beautiful and perhaps beyond the frame of words.”

Again, these are not my words, but I agree with this interpretation of Starry Night presented in the show’s artwork. The images and words in the show moved and changed in artistic patterns. I enjoyed reading various interpretations mingled with facts about Van Gogh’s life and art. More than anything, I felt the experience promoted deep thought and consideration of what it is to be human.

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?

This is another quote expressed in the art. If we had no courage to attempt anything, life would be dull and muted, as in the village in the bottom half of the Starry Night painting. I like the placement of this quote in this painting. It almost looks like a path that leads to the sky, as if to say that if we use our courage to pursue our passions, the sky is the limit. This reminds me of one of my favorite inspirational quotes—

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” ― Norman Vincent Peale

“And no one uses colour in a more impressive and confounding way”

Vincent Van Gogh was colorblind. This a fine example of someone’s limitation leading to something beautiful. He didn’t let his limitations prevent him from following his passion. He found a way to paint. In doing so, he brought great beauty, imagination, and encouragement to this world.

I don’t think Van Gogh could’ve known the impact he would have on the world so many years later. That shows that even if we don’t have the support to follow our passions and dreams, we shouldn’t let that deter us. We never know what beauty and deeper truth we might bring to this world and what hope we might offer future generations.

Follow your dreams, find your passions, and shine your light upon a world that needs you and your unique abilities.

Let your words be your sketches and your actions be your brushstrokes to paint a life you love.

And remember… “There is nothing more truly artistic than loving people.”

Thank you for reading. Have a wonderful week.

Mia Verita, 2023

This has been my response to the third week of May Reciprocal Nature Prompt, “Shining Stars.” I hope you enjoyed it.

Thank you, Sahil Patel, for this timely and inspirational prompt. I invite other writers to share what shining stars mean to you.

Thank you to the hardworking editors of Reciprocal, Sahil Patel, Dr. Preeti Singh, and Yana Bostongirl, for hosting this story.

Here are some great stories about stars by other authors in this publication:

Joyce Nielsen shared this story about the stars we no longer see due to pollution and the stars and constellations that continue to inspire us —

Elena Cooper shared this stellar poetry —

Mia Verita enjoys photography, sketching, writing poetry, and sharing inspirational stories. If you want to read more of Mia Verita’s stories and those of other Medium members, you can join Medium using her affiliate link. She will receive a portion of the membership fee at no additional cost to you.