Im an artist and also live with bipolar disorder. I found this to be wonderfully interesting an life affirming. I wanted to share w you -Beth Reprint from a friend... .................................................. Dear Colleagues, On March 30, 1853, Vincent van Gogh was born in Groot-Zundert, Netherlands. He was a post-impressionist painter who is credited with strongly influencing 20th century art. Yet, he was largely unknown and very poor throughout his lifetime. He struggled with physical health ailments and mental health problems including bipolar disorder. You may recall, he is the artist who is unfortunately known to many for having cut off his ear as well as for his brilliant works of art. The Don McLean song “Starry Starry Night” (lyrics below) is a tribute to many of Vincent van Gogh’s most celebrated pieces. The song talks about van Gogh’s struggles with mental illness and with being an artist, and references his looking out “on a summer day” from the asylum at Saint-Remy where he painted from his room and the courtyard garden, and later from out in the fields surrounding the facility. After enduring long periods of poor health and untreated mental illness, he died at the age of 37 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. This Sunday, March 30, 161 years after his birth, people around the world will be acknowledging World Bipolar Day. World Bipolar Day is an initiative of the Asian Network of Bipolar Disorder, the International Bipolar Foundation, and the International Society for Bipolar Disorders. It is celebrated each year on March 30th, the birthday of Vincent van Gogh, who was posthumously diagnosed as likely having bipolar disorder. The intent of World Bipolar Day is to bring world awareness to bipolar disorders and improve sensitivity toward the illness. With more and more recognition building around the importance of mental health, awareness efforts are springing up in the U.S. and around the globe. Illnesses like anxiety, panic disorders, PTSD, depression, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and many other mental health conditions are ending up in the spotlight. Undoubtedly, this is an exciting time for the mental health field and for consumers and families. With increased understanding, outreach and education, new treatments, new recovery tools, community conversations and other efforts through the NOW IS THE TIME initiative, opportunities in health reform, more insured Americans, parity, and other recent advances, perhaps mental health is on its way to finally being viewed as a critical part of public health. If you’d like to learn more about World Bipolar Day, I encourage you to visit ibpf.org/. One source to learn more about Vincent van Gogh and see his paintings is Wikipedia at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh LYRICS – STARRY, STARRY NIGHT Starry, starry night. Paint your palette blue and grey, Look out on a summer’s day, With eyes that know the darkness in my soul. Shadows on the hills, Sketch the trees and daffodils, Catch the breeze and the winter chills, In colors on the snowy linen land. Now I understand what you tried to say to me how you suffered for your sanity how you tried to set them free. They would not listen they did not know how perhaps they’ll listen now. Starry, starry night. Flaming flowers that brightly blaze, Swirling clouds in violet haze, Reflect in Vincent’s eyes of china blue. Colors changing hue, morning field of amber grain, Weathered faces lined in pain, Are soothed beneath the artist’s loving hand. For they could not love you, But still your love was true. And when no hope was left in sight On that starry, starry night, You took your life as lovers often do. But I could have told you, Vincent, This world was never meant for one As beautiful as you. Starry, starry night. Portraits hung in empty halls, Frameless head on nameless walls, With eyes that watch the world and can’t forget. Like the strangers that you’ve met, The ragged men in the ragged clothes, The silver thorn of bloody rose, Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow. Now I think I know what you tried to say to me, How you suffered for your sanity, How you tried to set them free. They would not listen, they’re not listening still. Perhaps they never will . . .
Posted on: Wed, 09 Apr 2014 13:18:04 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015