How Van Gogh Influences My Art

Art comes from inside through inspiration. As a friend and I discussed "mood" plays a part in my ability to paint. Like music and candles on a romantic evening. Or the sound of rain falling softly on a tin roof during a spring rain shower. The smell of coffee in the morning. Poetry always inspires.  For me to get the artistic juices moving on all art projects I need "mood". I visit museums, read books, view art, read poems, play music. One of the best sources are the colorful paintings of Vincent Van Gogh. I have several books of his art and other "Post-Impressionists". After reading and looking through them I then get inspired and use what I learned to paint something of my life, growing up or living now. Places, people, things that have affected me in some way. Hopefully the "mood" that I set comes through in the painting and then affects the viewer. Maybe in a different way but the base of the mood is there, whether it be happy, sad, or whatever.

Take a look at a few of these images. My latest self portrait was inspired by me seeing myself in a mirror when I was dressed one day in a straw hat. It reminded me of Van Gogh yet I could not place how or what of Van Gogh  was the "mood". So I did a photograph looked it over and discovered this. (See pictures for comparison.)

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Self Portrait, Homage to Vincent by figstreetstudio

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Compare what I did above to this Van Gogh painting of "Porträt des alten Bauers Patience Escalier, 1888, Oil on canvas.

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See the influence? Yet see the differences too. At first when I saw myself in a mirror I remembered a Van Gogh self portrait of him in a straw hat so I looked in my book but the "mood' was not in that painting. Then I saw "Patients Escalier" and voila I had it and painted it. There are more moments like this in my paintings and I will have to discuss them in another blog post.

 As you see this is the painting that first came to mind but it was not the correct one and expresses a different mood. My mind was aware of the similarities of a Van Gogh but consciously I thought this one when it was another deep inside. All I needed was "Patients".

Magnolia Tree At City Park Poster

by figstreetstudio

Free Old Time Christmas Card from Zazzle.com

Old Time Christmas Card from Zazzle.com

Free Sample Christmas card use special code at check out- HOLIDAYCARDZ Up to 5 cards, can edit inside the card, add your name or sentiments. Only the below card is offered as a free sample at this time. Compliments Fig Street Studio and Zazzle. Not my best design at Zazzle but the free sample.

Old Time Christmas Card by figstreetstudio
Shop for a different card on Zazzle

Free Greeting Cards

100% of card net sale price (excluding shipping and taxes) is deducted when one, two, three, four, or five qualifying cards are purchased from http://www.zazzle.com/free+cards and the coupon code HOLIDAYCARDZ is applied at checkout. Offer does not apply to create your own cards. Buyer is responsible for shipping and handling and sales tax charges. Offer is valid from September 27, 2010 through October 16, 2010 at 11:59pm PT. Offer does not apply to past purchases and may not be combined with any other Zazzle promotional or volume discount offers. If a volume discount applies to your order, you will receive either the discount set forth in this offer or the standard volume discount, whichever is greater. Offer valid on Zazzle.com only.

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See more of my other cards at- http://www.zazzle.com/figstreetstudio+cards/ rf=238720872070265283

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Below is the card I submitted to them to use as the sample but they used the old time one insted.

Christmas Fleur De Lis by figstreetstudio
Make cards with zazzle

Get Married in New Orleans City Park

New Orleans City Park’s 1,500 acres offer wedding couples a taste of the city’s historical past in its natural splendor with old oak trees, bayous, bridges, and art. Once the site of Allard Plantation facing Bayou St. John, located at the intersection of Carrollton and City Park Avenues in the Mid-City area of New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina has damaged some areas of the Park and some places have not re-opened. It is best to see the location you want to use in person to determine if it meets your needs. Many intimate spots in City Park are available to do weddings that require no fees. There are also beautiful places in the Park to rent for a large wedding like Pops Fountain and the Botanical Gardens. The City Park Commission should be contacted for rental fees. For a small weekend elopement or before a cruise departing from New Orleans there are other little out of the way places where a small wedding can take place, lovely walkways, large oak trees, fountains, small bridges, and statues. Most open public places are free for a small simple wedding but are first come first serve, therefore selecting alternate spots in the Park is recommended. There are several small bridges over the bayous or lagoons that can be used or under one of the many large old oak trees. By arriving early and walking through the area the couple and a small wedding party can choose a nice location to do a short ceremony. If you desire a larger wedding and a reserved spot you can contact City Park at their web page or call them.

New Orleans City Park Office

1 Palm Drive

New Orleans, Louisiana, 70124-4608

Phone: 504.482.4888 Fax: 504.483.9412


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New Orleans Marriage License Information

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It is possible to be married on the same day you get your license. Either the bride or groom before may obtain the license from the State Office of Vital Records at 1010 Common St, New Orleans, or other Parish Clerks of Court offices before the ceremony is conducted. The New Orleans Office is open on Saturday. Identification is required along with authentic copies of birth certificates and any divorce judgments. In some cities there is a three-day waiting period. In New Orleans a Minister or Judge can waive the waiting period in writing for non-residents when good reasons exist. No medical tests are necessary. The license is good for 30 days. You must present the license to the person doing the ceremony in advance as it requires the officiant to complete some portions in black ink only. A ceremony must be conducted before 2 adult witnesses who also sign the certificates. The cost of the license is just under $30.00 paid to the State. For further information contact the office located near the City Hall:



ORLEANS PARISH MARRIAGE LICENSE OFFICE

The Orleans Parish Marriage License Office is 1010 Common St at O'Keefe and Tulane Ave. -- just a short drive from the French Quarter, Uptown, Garden District and the CBD. The phone number is

504-568-3620

Another close to the French Quarter the Second City Court at 225 Morgan Street on the west bank in New Orleans. It is a nice ferry ride across the Mississippi River (pedestrians ride for free, automobiles only $1.00) from the Canal Street Ferry Landing,by River Wall MAll. It is a half city block to the court building with a clock tower. This office closes at 3:00PM, so arrive no later than 2:15PM. Phone number is (504) 368-4099 to verify times.
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Marriage licenses will not be issued on Saturdays, but you can obtain your marriage license in any Louisiana Parish as you drive into New Orleans.

Visitors can go to the Algiers Court House to get a license using the Canal St. Ferry.

504-368-4099
Hours: 9 am - 3 pm Mon.- Fri


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The 'Peristyle' at City Park.

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New Orleans Wedding Minister Information

Jerry Kenneth Schwehm served as as Justice of the Peace in 1990 to 1994 in Slidell, La. and was ordained in 1989 as a Lay Minister after serving as Elder and Deacon in his church for many years. He has a BA and JD from Louisiana State University (1972) and an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from a local Bible Church in 1990. He has performed numerous wedding ceremonies and is available in the Greater New Orleans area to perform your personalized marriage ceremony. He will go to your location or at his office in Fig House. He may be contacted at the below e-mail.

Fig Street Weddings

Fig Street New Orleans, La. 70125

504/617-6359


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Studio mailing address: 65115 Highway 41, Pearl River, La. 70452
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More info at www.figstreet.com/weddings


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Helpful Links

New Orleans City Park Page

New Orleans Weddings Page

New Orleans Marriage License

Elope To Pirates Alley

More Information On City Park

Fig Street Art Studio Prints

Self Portrait, Homage to Vincent, Self Portrait of an artist

Self Portrait, Homage to Vincent Greeting Card from Zazzle.com

Self Portrait, Homage to Vincent by figstreetstudio
Browse more Self Cards

I needed a newer self portrait so I did myself like Vang Gogh's Patience Escalier.

Self Portrait, Homage to Vincent by figstreetstudio
Browse more Self Posters

http://www.zazzle.com/self_portrait_homage_to_vincent_poster-228634384239124364

I was painting a large tree for my daughter to hang and painted in blue work shirt with red bandanna. I realized I looked like someone Van Gog painted so I took my book out and here it was. I added on the hat, took a quick picture with me holding some bamboo and this is the result. Someone said it looks like Marshall Dillion? But I do not limp.

Often I use older paintings to develop compositions. Or I am painting then realize I saw the composition somewhere else before. Study the old masters was a way to go. And I do it all the time, museums a favorite place to visit.

 I recently began using this in a small version as an avatar on social media.

Sun Flowers Poster

by figstreetstudio

Magnolia Tree At City Park Poster

by figstreetstudio