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At the age of 27, he decided to become an artist – a sentence that might sound arrogant, perhaps lacking humility, maybe even audacious.

And what if I told you that three years later, this same man was teaching painting?

That in a single decade he painted over 900 works and created more than 1,100 sketches – that’s one to two pieces a day, even while battling for his health.
That he learned by copying.
That he wrote many letters to his brother, often including his sketches.
That the main advocate and curator of his art was his sister-in-law Jo – but hardly anyone has heard of her. And that during his lifetime, very few people had heard of him either, as he only managed to sell one single painting – for 400 francs (about $2,000 today).

That you know his works, even if, like me, you’re closer to being an art ignoramus than a connoisseur.
That today, they are among the most expensive in the world (lots of zeros in those dollar amounts) – just to give you an idea, I’ll show you the equivalent in gold bars for the sale of that only painting and for the next one.

And I kind of knew all this, I was aware that none of us lives forever, and that one day there might no longer be time to do the things we love, to give in to our passions, to nurture our talents, to follow the song of our own canary.
That “one day” is a highly task-oriented place.
That the right time is now, that it’s worth sketching, creating, deciding, and staying disciplined.

I kind of knew it – but this particular Van Gogh experience, maybe because it was interactive, maybe because I was in the company of people with whom I could discuss my reflections, or maybe because the time was just right… I don’t know – but I do know that it taught me a lot…

– Models for painting were expensive, so he didn’t use poverty as an excuse not to paint. Wanting to experiment with colors, he created 35 self-portraits, which we now know so well, all while mastering his coloring technique – if there is will, there is a way.
– He struggled with himself and, at his own request, asked to be placed in isolation – and it was there that he painted, among others, The Starry Night – sometimes difficult moments can become the canvas for something beautiful.
– In his turbulent academic journey, he was criticized for his chaotic approach to work and overly free technique, and eventually “pushed out” because of differences of opinion – sometimes doing things your own way, staying true to yourself, though not easy, is the only right path to follow the song of your canary…

I won’t create paintings, but there is a piece of creation that is mine, and since my last Van Gogh experience, I have decided to become the Van Gogh of my own life even more – listening to my canary’s song…

At the age of 46, I decided:
– to apply colors to the canvas of my days even more boldly – though not without fears and doubts – with even greater sweep, perhaps in my own technique that the academic world has yet to study,
– to look for ways, not excuses – because while life’s journey can be unpredictable, it’s really worth searching, asking for help, arming oneself with patience, but not giving up,
– to copy those who inspire me,
– to certainly write a lot and to speak to/with wonderful people. To experience insights and inspiration fueled by conversations.

And you – what has recently made you stop and decide boldly, perhaps even wildly, about your own one and only life, the one that won’t have a repeat?

Van Gogh left this world at the age of 37, leaving behind not only works that move us, but also stories and experiences that teach, inspire, and invite us. Let’s learn to wisely stand on the shoulders of the giants who came before us, so that we too can leave something good for those who come after.