I had  been going to Paris for 20 years and I had never heard of Auvers. While I was in Switzerland, a friend of mine asked if I would be interested in meeting the owner of the "Mansion de Van Gogh" and  l'auberge Ravoux.  This is where Van Gogh breathed his last breath, in a small room on the third floor that is only 7.3 meters.  

As I arrived in the Village know as Auvers sur Oise, (Auvers means by the River Oise.) I was taken back in time to a simpler life where they bought their bread from a baker and their meat from a butcher. Twice a week on Thursday and Sunday, the market comes to town with fresh fish, local cheeses, vegetables grown on the farm at the top of the hill. There is a large rotisserie with farm raised chicken, lamb, pigs, and turkey. It hadn't changed since Van Gogh lived and painted there in the 1890's. The Main Street is the length of maybe two-football fields. I could write for hours on living this lifestyle.

This was the fertile ground that inspired Van Gogh.  He painted over 90 paintings and I began to paint for the first time in 2013. 

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