Few artists' letters are as self-revelatory as Vincent van Gogh's. From the humanistic inspiration behind The Potato Eaters to his long-time obsession with painting the vision that eventually became The Starry Night, the letters in this selection paint an intense personal narrative of his artistic development and creative process across the years. They reveal a man of great spiritual and emotional depths who – in his own words – did everything ‘for art and for life itself’.

Vincent van Gogh's paintings are amongst the most iconic and admired in the world. The trials of his life and health are endlessly discussed but the extraordinary richness of his writings and depth of his thinking on creativity, art and beauty is less explored. In Creative Inspiration, Van Gogh's writings have been edited and selected to create an enlightening, uplifting and helpful book for art lovers and creatives - amateurs and professionals alike. 150 carefully selected images illustrate these quotes, focusing on the sketches and drawings that reveal the rigour and ambition with which he approached his work. The book is thematically divided - from Beginnings to Routine to Beauty - and his determination and charisma are shared through words and pictures. A beautiful, and delightfully handy, art book that is designed to inspire.

Van Gogh's brother Theo was his confidant and companion, and, in his letters to him, Van Gogh reveals himself as artist and man. Even more than if he had purposely intended to tell his life story, Van Gogh's letters lay bare his deepest feelings, as well as his everyday concerns and his views of the world of art.

An intimate testament to the power of friendship between two creative forces―available again in English after more than a century.

“I exaggerate, I sometimes make changes to the subject, but I still don’t invent the whole of painting; on the contrary, I find it ready-made, but to be untangled, in the real world.” ― Vincent van Gogh

The painter and poet Émile Bernard’s firsthand account of the beloved Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh’s life offers a close perspective into the difficulties the artist faced. First published in French in 1911, and presented here in English for the first time, Bernard details van Gogh’s approach to painting, his tools, his style, his love of the medium. Moreover, he chronicles his attempts to have van Gogh’s work recognized after his death, a sign of a true friend. Shedding light on the artistic community they were part of, Bernard also discusses notable figures such as Claude Monet, Paul Gauguin, and Émile Zola, in his storied account of his friend’s life and work.

Letters written by van Gogh to a young Bernard, some of which are included in this volume, further the import of the friendship between the two men. Van Gogh’s words of advice to Bernard as well as ruminations on his own practice, inspirations, and creative struggles are revealed in these pages.

Brought together and introduced by preeminent van Gogh scholar Martin Bailey, these texts present a sensitive and discerning portrait of van Gogh that goes beyond his reputation as a troubled genius.

Inspirational quotes and sketches from Van Gogh on the restorative power of nature. 'One thing I tell you, that this countryside has the effect on me of bringing me peace, faith, courage . . .' A captivating collection of lesser-known images, chosen largely from sketchbooks and letters. The Healing Power of Nature is testament to the immense influence the natural world had on Vincent van Gogh; from the restorative, calming effect of rural landscapes to the stimulation and joy he found in natural beauty. Each image is accompanied by an insightful quote from his letters, showing how nature is a source of great healing and inspiration to us all, connecting us with the peace and beauty of our surroundings and with a sense of something even greater. '. . . I console myself by reconsidering the sunflowers.'

Vincent van Gogh evolved a vibrant technique, characterized by bold, slashing strokes. This collection of bookmarks includes details from 12 of his most revolutionary works, among them "Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear," "Sunflowers," "Starry Night," "Cafe Terrace on the Place du Forum," "Arles," "At Night," "Irises," "The Night Cafe," and "Portrait of Doctor Gachet."

‘Be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high. Then life seems almost enchanted after all’

Few artists’ letters are as self-revelatory as Vincent Van Gogh’s, and the selection included here, spanning the whole of his artistic career, sheds light on every facet of the life and work of this complex and tortured man. Engaging candidly and movingly with his religious struggles, his ill-fated search for love, his intense relationship with his brother Theo and his attacks of mental illness, the letters contradict the popular image of Van Gogh as an anti-social madman and a martyr to art, showing instead that he was capable of great emotional and spiritual depths. Above all, they stand as an intense personal narrative of artistic development and a unique account of the process of creation.

The letters are linked by explanatory biographical passages, revealing Van Gogh’s inner journey as well as the outer facts of his life. This edition includes the drawings that originally illustrated the letters.

‘If ever there was any doubt that Van Gogh’s letters belong beside those great classics of artistic self-revelation, Cellini’s autobiography and Delacroix’s journal, this excellent edition dispels it’ 
The Times

This Mini Sticky Book is a portable hardcover containing a full-colour sticky notepad for easy note and list-taking at home or on the road. durable, pocket-sized, hardcover book cardstock and fabric inside pocket for business cards, cash, receipts, stamps, etc. 130 full-colour illustrated note sheets book measures 127 x 89mm. We choose the best images from well-known classic and contemporary fine artists, plus talented emerging illustrators and designers from around the globe. Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) had an artistic career lasting only ten years. However, in those years he left behind an astounding legacy of painting that has endured to this day. He was a mad genius and he poured that passion into the trembling energy of his paintings. His canvases are celebrations of humanity & earth, colour & texture.

20 envelopes & 20 notecards, 5 each of 4 images
Sturdy & reuseable box
Great for storage
Our line of stationery notecard boxes suits every taste and is appropriate to give on any occasion. Our newest selection features fine art by Joan Mir and the classic yet modern femininity of Janet Hill's paintings

Now in paperback, this beautiful and important collection of more than 150 of Van Gogh's letters paired with more than 250 works of art
Vincent Van Gogh wrote hundreds of letters to his brother Theo as well as to family members and fellow artists including Paul Gauguin and Emile Bernard. In many of them he described, in painstaking detail and beautiful prose, the progress of his work. "Van Gogh's Letters" presents more than 150 of these stirring letters, excerpted and newly translated, and set side-by-side with the art it describes, including sketches, drawings, and paintings. The result is an elegantly rendered collection that allows us to see the world through the eyes of one of the greatest artists of all time.
Previously published in hardcover as "Vincent van Gogh: A Self-Portrait in" Art and Letters

Vincent van Gogh is best known for two things - his sunflowers and his ear-cutting. But there are many other ways of knowing this remarkable son of a Dutch pastor, who left his chill homeland for the sunshine of Arles in the South of France; and left us over a thousand frank letters of struggle and joy, to help us glimpse his inner world. Vincent came late to painting after spending time in London trying to be a Christian missionary. And though he is now amongst the most famous artists on earth, in his day, no one saw him coming - apart from one French art critic called Aurier. It is possible he never sold one of his paintings in his life time. When he discovered the sun in Arles, he also discovered energy. Yellow for him was the colour of hope, and in his last two years he painted almost a canvass a day. But hope ran out on July 27th , 1890 when he shot himself, aged 37. He was at this time six months out of a mental institution, where perhaps he experienced his greatest calm. Vincent compared himself to a stunted plant; damaged by the emotional frost of his childhood. 'Conversations with Van Gogh' is an imagined conversation with this remarkable figure. But while the conversation is imagined, Van Gogh's words are not; they are all authentically his. "Speaking with Vincent - which he insists on being called - was a privilege,' says Simon Parke. 'He's endlessly fascinating, contradictory, moving, funny, insightful and tragic. There's a fury in him; but also a great kindness. He found harmony in human relationships elusive; his love life was a painful shambles. But with colour, he was a harmonic genius, and he has much to say about this. And here's the thing: for a man who killed himself - he died in the arms of his brother on July 29th - spending time with him was never anything but life-affirming.'