The most significant, as far as producing paintings go, in Van Gogh’s career: Arles, Saint Remey and Auver sur-Oise are among my favorites! When I found out that Van Gogh went to Arles in southern France in February 1888 to fulfill his dream of an Artist’s colony.! In February of 2002, 150 years later to the day, I went to Arles to take my Voyage Van Gogh one big step further. In addition to my own paintings, I often painted many of the same paintings Van Gogh painted in that particular location. For example in Arles, I painted Café Terrace, Starry Night along the Rhone, and Van Gogh’s Chair.
After visiting Van Gogh’s room in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and walking the grounds, I painted a replica of Starry Night. For me, the most dramatic part of the Voyage Van Gogh was Auvers-sur-Oise. The inspiration was in abundance with the many structures appearing much the same as when Van Gogh painted them in his final days.
I painted this in Arles, France after Van Gogh’s “Cafe La Nuit.”
A little misty eyed I stared lifeless into the small upstairs bedroom of the Ravoux Inn where Van Gogh died and every night I would pass by the Gothic Notre Dame D’Auvers on my nightly walk to Van Gogh’s gravesite. I have been fortunate tobe able to have traveled extensively to personally view and study Van Gogh’s oeuvres. So far on my Voyage Van Gogh I have viewed over 90% of all Van Gogh’s works of art available to the public, totaling over 1400 pieces. Voyage Van Gogh Articles