"I Was Longing for a Home" — Matthew Perryman Jones' "O Theo," Inspired by Vincent Van Gogh

Content warning: this article contains a brief mention of suicide.

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Today, on the 165th birthday of Vincent Van Gogh, I'm thinking a lot about him and his influence on the arts. Not only has he been a muse to other painters, but also to artists working in other media, like animation and music. One of the many great pieces of art inspired by Van Gogh is the song “O Theo” by Matthew Perryman Jones, from his 2012 album Land of the Living. Here he is performing it live:

Much of the genius of this song lies in its meticulously crafted lyrics. On the second listen, I noticed how several of the lines seem to refer to specific works by Van Gogh. For instance, "into a sky filled with birds" brings to mind "Wheatfield with Crows," while "I made a bed out of hay" sounds like "La Siesta." These little hat tips never feel obvious or gimmicky: they simply flow with the rest of the song, giving a fuller picture of Van Gogh's life through his works.

"La Siesta," 1889. Source.

And this song is basically the story of his life: beginning with Van Gogh's career before painting, Jones takes us through all of the failures and griefs that made Van Gogh the man and artist he was. From being chased out of missionary work by censorious pastors (“the righteous raised their stones”) to his disastrous relationships with women (“And my heart was still unknown”) to his eventual suicide (“a field of fallen sparrows”), Van Gogh's life was certainly one of tragedy. And yet, Jones never comes across as maudlin or pitying. On the contrary, he gets down to the core of Van Gogh's story, one about loss and longing and trying to fit into a world that doesn't seem to want to make a place for you. With just a few lines or phrases, Jones is able to convey not just events in Van Gogh's life, but the mood and the melancholy they produced as well. Similar, in a way, to the short, choppy strokes with which Van Gogh painted his canvases, Jones's words are brief, but bold and striking.

"Wheatfield with Crows," 1890. Source.

Throughout this journey, the song grounds itself in the refrain of “O Theo,” recalling the way in which Van Gogh grounded himself in the love and support of his older brother. As Van Gogh's letters reveal, Theo was his financial patron, his confidant, and one of the few people to whom he felt truly close. In this song, the phrase almost seems to take on a new shade of meaning with each repetition, growing more and more desperate as it becomes more apparent that, ultimately, Theo will not be able to save his brother. A large part of this effect comes from Jones's vocals, which are passionate without feeling overdone. That slight sound of gravel in his voice makes it perfect for a song about a weary wanderer.

"Starry Night over the Rhone," 1888. Source.

Though he may not be as well-known as some singer-songwriters, Jones is a true artist, and a great lover of art, as “O Theo” shows. Its brilliant lyrics, its beautiful melody, and the haunting, expressive voice of its singer make it a fine tribute to a great artist.

What's your favorite song about art or an artist? Let me know in the comments below.

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Quirky and Different: 5 Artists That Are Worth Your Attention

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January 31st is Inspire Your Heart With Art Day, so I hope you take the opportunity to visit a local gallery or museum and find something you like!


To some people, art and museums have a certain amount of snob appeal attached to them. It's easy to picture some guy with a fancy glass of wine in hand waxing philosophical on some minimalist piece and feel like art isn't for you. Unfortunately, this view is more prevalent than it should be. More fortunately, this refined and highbrow view isn't representative of the art world.

While there are always going to be serious artists and serious art fans, a deeper look at the art out there reveals tons of quirky, oddball, or just plain different artists waiting to surprise you. A full list of these artists worth your time would be impossible, but the short list below contains a few of my favorites.

5. Giuseppe Arcimboldo
You've probably seen works by this guy before. He's an Italian painter from the 1500s who is best known for making portraits of people made out of fruit, fish, and other types of food, the most famous of which is shown below.

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Any list of offbeat art works would be incomplete without him. Maybe not the sort of thing that you would want to hang in the dining room, but nobody could ever accuse his works of being derivative. You have to feel for all of the art critics who try and interpret what's going on in his works. They certainly have their work cut out for them.

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4. Emily Carr

 Emily Carr is a Canadian painter who was associated with, but not actually a member of, Canada's "Group of Seven," who wanted to create a unique artistic identity for the nation. Her works were influenced by Canada's indigenous peoples and this along with her unique use of color set her apart from other artists.

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Landscape painting and more naturalistic works tend to get looked down upon by the art community as a whole, but this treatment is unfair. It's clear that works like the one shown below are visually stunning and deserve just as much praise as other types of painting.

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3. James Grashow
I could probably write an entire article on this guy, as a few paragraphs here don't do him justice.  James Grashow is a Brooklyn-based artist who is primarily known for working with cardboard, so much so that he has been dubbed the Bernini of the medium. And boy, is that description accurate.

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He has stated that he likes the medium because of how temporary it is and has even incorporated this into some of his works. See below for one of his installations falling apart after being rained on.

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Lest you think he's just some sort of one-trick pony, he also makes house plants.

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Get it? House plants. He also does woodcuts and designed an album cover for Jethro Tull, so if I haven't sold you on him by this point, I'm not sure I can.

2. Melchior De Hondecoeter

Hodecoeter is a Dutch painter who goes to show that you can still be a great artist even if you only have a single talent. This single talent of his is the ability to paint birds. Just birds. He didn't paint anything else. Seriously. This guy's portfolio is entirely composed of bird paintings.

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And my gosh are those some fabulous birds. Who needs to paint other things with birds like this?

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Seeing all of these different birds kind of makes you wonder if he could paint anything else. Like, if he tried to do a portrait of a person it might just turn out like a stick figure. Unfortunately he died in 1695, so there's no way to know. All we are left with is the knowledge that this guy could paint a chicken better than anyone else could ever hope to.

Fabulous

1. Julian Stanczak
Julian Stanczak is a Polish-American artist whose works are full of visual tricks that fool the eye into seeing all sorts of things. He's one of the few "abstract" artists that isn't just three squares on some white space. His works also deserve an award for sensory impact, as a Google image search on his works will give you vertigo if you scroll through it too quickly.

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Images on the internet don't really do him justice. A lot of these pieces are large and draw the eye all over the place in a trippy sort of visual maze. As he was based in Ohio, the Cleveland Museum of Art has a number of his works, as do some of the other museums in the area.

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Hopefully you've seen something you like here, and if not, I challenge you to find something that is out of the ordinary for you. Everyone deserves to have these experiences, but you can't have them until you go out and look for that one piece that makes you think just a bit differently. Because life without art can be a very boring place.

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My Top Three Nostalgia-Inducing Manga Series

I've always been a sucker for a good story, so it's no surprise that I adore manga, which are not only pieces of art but fabulous stories that weave complicated plots and introduce interesting characters. If you're hesitant to read manga, for whatever reason, I encourage you to try it at least once.  

Below, I've listed my top three favorite manga series I read growing up and why you should check them out.

1) Sailor Moon by  Naoko Takeuchi

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Sailor Moon was my very first manga. I was 11 when a friend handed me a dazzlingly beautiful Sailor Moon manga. Sure, I was already familiar with the anime since I grew up watching it, but I had no idea there was a book about it.

I tore upon the volumes like some kind of vicious vulture. I asked for them for my birthday and spent all my allowance on the collection because of how completely different the manga was from the Sailor Moon anime.

The Artwork

Ah! Just look at it!! 

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I couldn’t get enough of Sailor Moon, so the manga only furthered my obsession. I started drawing people in the Sailor Moon manga style, with long spindly legs, large eyes, and interesting hairstyles. Seriously, the fashion (at least for the time) was cutting edge. Plus, the gowns and sailor suits were timeless. The scouts aren’t called pretty sailor soldiers for nothing. 

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The Story 

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I’ve always been fascinated with space, so I was very excited to learn that the manga introduced more information that related to the universe (and more information on gems, which I was also interested in). I researched and studied the planets, the stones, and the mythology hidden within these precious pages.

Besides the educational aspect, the story was energizing. A team of strong, independent women, each with their own elemental affinity, is tasked with saving the world. It’s a space opera that is both romantically intriguing and extremely exciting. 

The Characters 

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There is a character for everyone. Seriously, if you’re studious and dedicated, Ami is your girl. If you’re clumsy and loyal, you may relate with Usagi. If you’re tomboyish and strong, you may liken to Haruka.

The characters solidified the importance of friendship and love. There was even a progressive (at least for America) notion of a woman loving another woman. Plus, the love between Usagi and Mamo-chan was just too sweet. I couldn’t help squealing every time I read about their relationship. The characters give you someone to relate to, no matter where you are in life, and that was a large part of the appeal. Even the villains were interesting (especially in the anime).

2) D.N.Angel by Yukiru Sugisaki

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I’m obsessed with thieves and I think it’s because of this series. If you love anti-heroes and moments of romance and close calls, you must pick up this series (Dark says so).

The Artwork

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Again, not sure why, but many manga artists could totally be fashion designers. Trust me, D.N.Angel does not skimp on the epic fashion sense. Plus, the artist must have sold her soul because man are these drawings gorgeous, especially later on in the series. Just look at the hair! I mean, look at it! Plus, the facial features are perfect.

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The Story

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Do you like art? Do you like thieves? Do you like a good romance and action all rolled into one? Oh! Well then, let me introduce you to D.N.Angel, a story about Daisuke, a kid in a long line of men who can transform into the legendary phantom thief Dark (that is, when they're experiencing romantic feelings towards their crush).

To top it off, the series is hilarious. One can’t help but chuckle at Dark’s insistence that Daisuke “man up” and make the first move.

The Characters

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DARK IS AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL AND PERFECT!! But if you look past Dark, which he would protest against, you’d see Daisuke, who at first you think is just a normal fourteen year old boy, until you realize he has a genetic condition that transforms him into the thief Dark. As the series goes on, you learn that Daisuke is much more than an epic thief. He’s loving and caring and sacrificial. He cares deeply for everyone.

You also see a collection of heartwarming characters, each as complicated and interesting as the next. (Satoshi for example. Poor Satoshi.) But Dark truly does steal (hehe) the show with not only his charms and wiles but his friendship with Daisuke. He learns to care for Daisuke and everyone that comes into his life.

3) Chrono Crusade by Daisuke Moriyama

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Do NOT watch the anime. I repeat, do NOT watch the anime. It lacks the emotion and perfect plot line that the manga possess. Besides, the manga for Chrono Crusade is only eight volumes long, so it won't take you long to read.

Th Artwork

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Another beautifully drawn series!! Oh goodness, and the art gets even better in later volumes. So much detail and emotion are drawn into the characters that I forget they’re fictional sometimes. When you see someone cry or bleed or smile, your heart can't help but melt. Plus, who doesn't want to see manga stylized angels and demons in the 1920s?

Again, the fashion is wonderful, and it's historically interesting too!

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The Story

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Warning! This series is a tearjerker. I mean, the entire premise of the story is about a nun who makes a contract with a demon, who in turn feeds off her life force. This, of course, greatly shortens the main character's life, but what's truly sad is that they become FRIENDS!!! They care about each other.

I was surprised by how emotionally attached I'd become to the characters in such a short time. I mean, 8 volumes and this story still whittles away my soul.

The Characters

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As mentioned, the main character, named Rosette, is a nun but not your typical nun. Oh, no! She, along with her comrades, tote holy weapons that combat the forces of hell. She’s a whirlwind, loud and brash and all-consuming. Oddly enough, Chrono (her demon companion) is mild and levelheaded. He keeps her grounded. Think on that. These two make an exceptional team and it becomes even more intriguing when the other characters, all as equally fascinating, are introduced.

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What do you think of these manga? What are your favorite manga?

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