Sunflowers - Van Gogh Gift

I have always given paintings as gifts. "Oh no not another Mountain Painting" ha ha. But I did not start the custom. Van Gogh painted 7 paintings of Sunflower's when he was in Arles, France waiting on his friend Gauguin. They were to be gifts for Gauguin.

One of these paintings sold for $80 million dollars a while back.

The Sunflower is an amazing food and subject for artist. Food for birds and people, the seeds are used everywhere and I plant them every year in my own little garden. Then every fall I paint some of them trying to get my masterpiece on canvas.

Vincent painted the spirit of the flower, his post-impressionist style and the thick impasto of paint gives the painting a real feel. I believe I heard the only 5 of these paintings are still available for the public to see at the Van Gogh museum in Holland.

As Gauguin arrived in Arles and van Gogh gave his gift, like so many gifts it was refused. So my suggestion is be careful what you refuse. You could lose a lot more than a friend.

And by the way you'll see this picture many more times in this blog so...

Keep your brushes clean and enjoy your gifts.