According to the Internet…”He (Vincent Van Gogh) started painting irises within just a month of entering the asylum May 1889, effectively making this his first artwork after his treatment began. He called the painting ‘the lightning conductor for my illness’ and started painting irises seen in the hospital garden so he could keep himself from going insane.” The Internet continues, “this divine connection gave the iris a sacred status, making it a symbol of faith and hope. It came to represent trust in the divine and the hope for better things to come. Even today, the iris often featured in religious art, symbolizing the heavenly messages carried by the goddess Iris.”
While I'm not exactly going insane, the idea of purple irises peppered with tiny red poppies brings me BIG joy and comfort. In anticipation of this little cancer adventure, I gathered my hodge podge collection of art supplies and picked up a few new items to fill in gaps. Little did I know at the time, my depleted energy reserves (thanks poisons and lasers) would limit my ability to create freely how I had hoped. Totally surprised that during the chemo phase a paint by numbers impulse buy would be the exact thing my cancer brain could handle. Re-creating Vincent's stunning irises has fed my soul and healed my mushy brain in ways I could not have imagined. While I do enjoy painting using various mediums this detailed yet brainless paint by numbers project provided the perfect amount of art induced endorphins while requiring zero brain work. Knowing he found solace in painting and flowers while undergoing treatment, I'm sure a sympathetic Vincent Van Gogh would understand that imitation truly is the most sincere form of flattery. Who would have thought that painting some silly irises would bring such joy during such a tricky time. Grateful to have created my own version of this masterpiece. Grateful to have thought a lot about the iris over the last several weeks. Grateful for the real purple iris that will soon bloom in my garden. And grateful for Van Gogh’s ability to find joy through flowers and painting during a tricky season of treatment and healing.