Don Mclean’s Inspiration: In an interview, Don Mclean said that he wrote the song ‘Vincent’ as he stared at one of Vincent Van Goghs most famous paintings.  He wrote the song in one night as she looked at Starry Night and claims that “It came right out of me. It expressed itself” 

 

My Research –

VINCENT-As an artist always moved by Van Gogh, past research has revealed Vincent as a sad soul; One striving to retain love, sanity and a living - MANY- relate to his humanity.  Perhaps one of the famous stories is about Vincent cutting off his left ear and giving it to a woman named Rachel with a note that said, “Keep this object carefully.” (I employed the conceptual shape of an ear posing in a song bubble.) To balance the shape I used another whispy line that can pose as Don McLeans message to Vincent; A soothing song of understanding and comfort. (conceptual heart shape)

SPIRITUAL SYMBOLISM-Going with McLeans claim of the song coming ‘right out of him’ I feel that he was intuitively connecting himself with Vincent.  “The color purple has always been considered the color of the Psychic. It is connected with mysticism and magic and is said to be a very powerful, psychic color that stimulates intuition and imagination.” (http://www.gardenofpraise.com/art19.htm) I chose to use purple for McLeans portrait to express his connection with Vincent.

STARRY NIGHT REVISITED: Just as an artist needs a canvas a musician needs his instrument.  I painted my own redition of Starry Night using acrylics and scanned it in with no further digital manipulation on texture /colour – just resizing.  It was very important for me to balance tradition and digital applications.  This not only forms a juxtaposition in my work but also brings to light the relationship between the age Vincent lived and the age we live in presently; thus connecting with both stories.