Sunflowers à la Cézanne Print - Limited Edition of 10

I was driving on Texas Highway 281 coming into Waxahachie when I saw a huge field of sunflowers in full bloom. I couldn’t pass them by, nor could several other people. There is something about sunflowers: they are so exuberant, so joyful, that they evoke these happy feelings in us. It’s impossible to be sad looking at sunflowers. Many years ago, I was visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. As I entered one of the galleries, completely unexpectedly, I saw Van Gogh’s Sunflowers across the room. I’ll never forget the feeling of this happy surprise. This particular image is one of several studies of sunflowers in my work. Here I used a special filter in Photoshop® to make it into the style of Paul Cézanne. Cézanne has been my favorite painter for most of my life. Last year I had the opportunity for an in-depth visit to Aix en Provence, France, where he was born, spent most of his life, and is buried. There is a bronze statue of him in the center of town. You can visit Cézanne’s studio and see the view of Mont Sainte-Victoire in the distance that inspired many of his paintings. Aix is very old, occupied since the 200’s BCE, and the buildings in the city center are a lovely golden stone with ornate carvings. The people there are laid back, taking their time to meander down the pedestrianized streets or slowly sip a cup of coffee or local rosé wine. The weight of history is palpable: my hotel was formerly a 12th-Century monastery with high vaulted ceilings, where Martin Luther lived after he was ex-communicated for starting the Reformation. I hope that you have the opportunity to experience Aix someday. While you’re there, you will be very close to Arles, where Van Gogh painted his sunflowers. My hope for you is that you feel the joy in this image. May it inspire you to find more joy in your life.