Friday, April 11, 2008

Daily Painting Practice - Van Gogh's Dog

I was going to start complaining about the weather. It is snowing again. Yesterday was wet and cold. But I thought of my guy Vincent Van Gogh. He painted beautiful things in miserable conditions. No central heat , no air conditioning, no color corrected electric lights, not to mention no food and no money. No wonder the guy got the blues.
Then I started thinking, I know just what he needed.... a dog! I have a great studio companion named Tasha. She gets me up when I sit too long, gets me out to play and generally keeps me company in the studio day and night.
click on the image to enlarge the painting

Van Gogh's Dog
original by Peter Yesis
6"x6"
oil on canvas board
SOLD

I imagine Van Gogh's life might have been a little better if he had a dog. Did he even paint a dog, I wonder? Anyway, as usual when I think about Vincent I tend to have fun and try and paint like him..... Not imitation, just inspiration. I wonder if he would enjoy hearing that?

5 comments:

georgiana ewing said...

Love this. It creats a wonderful mood. I'm sure Van Gogh's life would have been better if he had had a dog------------but then, would we have his art??

Cheryl Pass said...

Life is always better with a dog!!! Nice painting, Peter. Also, Van Gogh is bound to be smiling that we now admire his art! Hope so, anyway!

Ed Terpening said...

I'm reading his letters now...I think I do recall a sketch with a dog in it. I have my trusty studio companion, Gracie... She's great, although she tends to sit behind me, so when I get up to stand back she sometimes gets bumped (I forget she's there). She's great in the field, plein air. Loves to run around everywhere and cause general mischief.

J Matt Miller said...

Great painting, Peter!

René PleinAir said...

Great one Peter.

I wouldn't know if he ever had a dog, ... those days they hadn't much space and time for a dog I reckon, only work-dogs. On the other hand don't think about Vincent to bad, when it's summer and all the lavender blooming it would be a real paradise on earth. I've been to the west side of Holland a few days, and in those days they grow those bulbs to so I can imagine that he had his good times also.