Happy Birthday Dear Vincent.
https://tonysearl.tumblr.com/post/614094899396198400/lianne-la-havas-starry-starry-night-loving
I remember first hearing the original "Starry Starry Night" by Don McLean on The Wireless, in August 1972 at Aunty Margaret's farm home kitchen whilst there on winter school holidays. \
I had just turned 8 and mum's sister Margaret, shared some stories about Vincent, their "run away" brother. Mum had never really spoken about Vince so this was all new to me.
I had no idea who Van Gogh was then but on return to last term of school our 2nd grade teacher Miss Jiare played this vinyl single almost daily as she loved Don McLean and we always had music playing in class. The song was Top of The Pops at the time so was being played on radio a lot as well.
As it turned out Miss Jiare, an old school strict and stern but loving Infants Mistress also had a deep appreciation for art and Vincent Van Gogh in particular.
She shared the best stories and read aloud to the class daily. There was one large format picture book which had the famous painting in it and Miss Jiare introduced the class to the solar system, stars and space exploration via this book. And THAT one painting. I was totally hooked by now!
We even did a follow project on famous artists and guess who I chose?
Making some connections now, I asked mum whilst at the library researching the project, more about the art, the artist, the song and her brother.
These conversations are indelibly imprinted as we spent many afternoons at Hurstville and Kogarah libraries immersed in "homework" which was never a chore as we the student got to choose and also learning how libraries worked and then of course the real treat, borrowing books. For free? How cool was that? Every week.
Night time and bed time stories were a highlight. I often drifted off to sleep listening to mum, and then vividly dreamt about the story. I was a "lazy" reluctant reader as I preferred to listen and imagine. All our infants teachers read daily to us as well so I remember thinking, "Why read my self? Until mum was panicking and almost forced me to read solo (not because I couldn't read, I just preferred listening as curiosity and imagination were freer that way) by buying me non fiction books on my favourite topics, space and motor racing and also Tin Tin Picture Books.
Mum's then only eldest brother was named Vincent.
Vince had "run away" suddenly (left home? for work? during WW2? other reasons? no one knows for certain) at an extremely young age. He was maybe 14 or 15?
He eventually found his way after 3 years of walking, hitching and working in fruit farming odd jobs, to the heart of Australia (Alice Springs) where he partnered with a Kings Canyon woman and lived a full and productive life of family and hard work.
I remember mum sharing, that she was devastated as a 9 year old that her much admired Big Older Brother Vince never came back.
I only ever met Uncle Vince once, at Mum's own funeral, in 1979. He impressed me as a tall, stoic and gentle man, a grounded man of the land and extremely quietly spoken.
Many many years later in 2015 a visit to NYC became possible. Of course MOMA was the clincher and
I remember first hearing the original "Starry Starry Night" by Don McLean on The Wireless, in August 1972 at Aunty Margaret's farm home kitchen whilst there on winter school holidays. \
I had just turned 8 and mum's sister Margaret, shared some stories about Vincent, their "run away" brother. Mum had never really spoken about Vince so this was all new to me.
I had no idea who Van Gogh was then but on return to last term of school our 2nd grade teacher Miss Jiare played this vinyl single almost daily as she loved Don McLean and we always had music playing in class. The song was Top of The Pops at the time so was being played on radio a lot as well.
As it turned out Miss Jiare, an old school strict and stern but loving Infants Mistress also had a deep appreciation for art and Vincent Van Gogh in particular.
She shared the best stories and read aloud to the class daily. There was one large format picture book which had the famous painting in it and Miss Jiare introduced the class to the solar system, stars and space exploration via this book. And THAT one painting. I was totally hooked by now!
We even did a follow project on famous artists and guess who I chose?
Making some connections now, I asked mum whilst at the library researching the project, more about the art, the artist, the song and her brother.
These conversations are indelibly imprinted as we spent many afternoons at Hurstville and Kogarah libraries immersed in "homework" which was never a chore as we the student got to choose and also learning how libraries worked and then of course the real treat, borrowing books. For free? How cool was that? Every week.
Night time and bed time stories were a highlight. I often drifted off to sleep listening to mum, and then vividly dreamt about the story. I was a "lazy" reluctant reader as I preferred to listen and imagine. All our infants teachers read daily to us as well so I remember thinking, "Why read my self? Until mum was panicking and almost forced me to read solo (not because I couldn't read, I just preferred listening as curiosity and imagination were freer that way) by buying me non fiction books on my favourite topics, space and motor racing and also Tin Tin Picture Books.
Mum's then only eldest brother was named Vincent.
Vince had "run away" suddenly (left home? for work? during WW2? other reasons? no one knows for certain) at an extremely young age. He was maybe 14 or 15?
He eventually found his way after 3 years of walking, hitching and working in fruit farming odd jobs, to the heart of Australia (Alice Springs) where he partnered with a Kings Canyon woman and lived a full and productive life of family and hard work.
I remember mum sharing, that she was devastated as a 9 year old that her much admired Big Older Brother Vince never came back.
I only ever met Uncle Vince once, at Mum's own funeral, in 1979. He impressed me as a tall, stoic and gentle man, a grounded man of the land and extremely quietly spoken.
Many many years later in 2015 a visit to NYC became possible. Of course MOMA was the clincher and
