TULIPS AND WINDMILLS VIKING RIVER CRUISE - SERIES #12

"Slow down and enjoy life. It is not only scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why." - Eddie Cantor

AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND - APRIL 3, 2014 (PART 1)

Welcome Back To Amsterdam! My Second Compelling Reason To Visit Amsterdam Was To See Keukenhof Tulip Garden. One Of The Musts On Our Bucket List. Its One Of The Best Known Floral Attraction In The Netherlands. This Internationally Renowned Tulip Spectacle Spread Across 79 Acres And  Took The Trophy. There Were 7 Millions Blooming And Dancing Tulips Escorted By A Parade Of Brilliant  Hyacinths, Daffodils  And Other Floral Diversity W/ Many Colors And Fragrances.  Their Numbers, Colors, Shapes And Sizes Were Overwhelming.

 

A Very Colorful Billboard At The Entrance Of Keukenhof Garden. This Holland's Floral Splendor Only Happened In The Springtime.

 

Strolling The Garden W/ Ray, Our Cruise Director. We Certainly Rated The Garden As "One Garden To See Before We Die."

 

Our Bright Ticket To The Gorgeous Keukenhof Garden. Come W/ Us And Let's Explore This Gorgeous Keukenhof Garden That Got A Visual Spectacles Like Some Impressionistic Paintings. Its No Surprise That Flowers Became A Favorite Motif Of The Art World As Well.

 

First, Lets Talk About Art. I Appreciated Realism, Renaissance And Baroque Art Style. But Those Art Style Didn't Awake A Pleasurable Feeling Inside Me As Much As Impressionism. Impressionism Attracted Me Most, As A Professional  Artist. I Connected Very Well To The Impressionist Art.  Impressionists Paintings Had Always A Special Place In My Heart. In My Artists Mind, They Were Simply BEAUTIFUL.

 

The Impressionists Were A Group Of Artists In The 18th Century Who Revolutionized The Way Artists Painted And The Way That Things Were Viewed. Instead Of Painting Historical And Religious Subjects Of Important People, They Radically Painted Different Type Of Scenes, Mostly About Everyday Life And Contemporary Subjects That Were Around Them . Impressionist Artists Were Trained According To The Acceptable Art Methods Of  The Time. It Was Accepted That As Part Of Their Training, Young Aspiring Artists Spent Hours Painting And Copying Original Works Of Art.  But The Impressionists Violated The Rules Of Academic Painting And Wanted To Paint Differently.

How To See The  World Through The Colorful Eyes Of The Impressionists?

 

1. VISIT A FAMOUS GARDEN - Do Everything in "Plein-Air." Plein -Air, Which Is A Fancy French  Word For Outdoor, Is Key To The  Majority Of Impressionist Paintings. The Concept Of Taking Their Canvas And Paints Outdoor Was So New To The 18th Century, That It Became The Kind Of Signature For Impressionists Painters. The Impressionist Masters Would Scout For Locations That They Wanted To Paint, And Then Go Outdoor And Paint In Front Of Them. This Was To Capture The Feel Of Being In The Location Instead Of In The Artist's Studio Imagining The Location. So Instead Of Watching  A TV Show At Home About Floral Exhibition, Do As The Impressionists Way. Lets Visit An Inspiring Garden W/ Tranquil Running  Streams And Verdant Landscaping.   

 

2. SLOW DOWN AND SMELL THE TULIPS - Impressionists Artists Loved To Paint Beautiful Outdoor Sceneries And Flowers Around Them. Our Lives Are Like A Blank Canvas Waiting To Be Painted On. Lets Make Our Lives Colorful By Taking The Time To Smell The Yellow Tulips.

 

 

3. TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK - Impressionist Artists Took The Time To Look At Landscaping And Things Around Them. They Didn't Fly Through Life In A Hurry. We Should Hold Our Gaze Long Enough At These Beautiful Flowers, Then  We Came Out More Alive In Full Color Like Them. The Impressionists Demonstrated Through Their Innovative Style, That The Appearance Of Any Object Could Change Dramatically Depending On How We Viewed Them.

4. BLOOM  WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED - The Impressionists Were Innovative And Ingenious. So Were The Architects And Designers Of This Stunning Garden. They Were Also As Inventive As The Impressionists. They Designed A World Class Flower Garden Which Blended In Beautifully And Creatively W/ Natural Surroundings. One Should Set Attainable and Realistic Goals According To Their Abilities And Talents. Consider Each Effort And Victories  To Be An Attainment.  Before You Know, You'll Be Like Those  Beautiful Bloomies.

 

5. BE ORIGINAL LIKE THE IMPRESSIONISTS - I Admired Van Gogh For His Originality. He Pioneered Those Bold Brushstrokes In His Paintings, Which Added Lots Of Textures. Not Boring To Look At. He Broke Down The Barrier To Boring Paintings. He Also Experimented W/ Many Complimentary Colors On His Paintings Like The Above Yellow And Purple Flowers.

 

Yellow Daffodils And Purple Lilacs

6. APPRECIATE COMPLIMENTARY COLORS - I Liked Impressionism. Their Arts Had Many Beautiful Colors And Interesting Optical Effects. Many Impressionist Loved To Use Complimentary Colors In Their Paintings. Complimentary Colors Were Opposite On The Color Wheel. Did You Know That Colors Like Purple And Yellow When Combined Together Had A Very Vibrant Effects? Impressionist Colors Were Much Brighter And More Intense. 

Inside The Indoor Display. Another Complimentary Or Contrasting Colors Of  Varieties Of Red And Neon Green. The Impressionists Opened A Whole Era Of Expression By Using Riots Of Contrasting Colors.

 

 7. LEARN TO TALK FRENCH - Paris, France Was The Birthplace Of Impressionism. It Originated W/ A Group Of Paris-Based Painters. Most Of Them Were French Painters Except Van Gogh Who Was A Dutch A Painter. I Was Never A Big  Fan Of The "French Is The Most Romantic Language In The World." But It Didn't Hurt To Learn Some Of  The Language Of The Impressionists Masters. Hearing French Language Was Like Listening To Their Artistic Chattering Inside The Cafes. So Lets Immerse Ourselves In Some Fabulous French Phrases Like......"Bonjour," "Merci," "Bon Appetit," "Au Revoir, " "Qui," "Bon Voyage," and "Je t'aime" (I Love You In English). Knowing Other Languages Add Colors Back Into Our Lives. 

 

8. DRESSED BOLDLY IN BRIGHT COLORS - Learn To Love Beautiful, Bold And Bright Colors Like The Impressionists. Let Your Fashion Life  Be Colorful Like The Flowers. Dressed In Floral Outfit When Visiting A Flower Garden. My Colorful Outfit Was A DNKY Label W/ Red Vest Red Hat, Blended Beautifully W/ The Multi-Colored Floral Surrounding. Don't Be Trapped In Boring Shades Of Grays And Beiges. You'll Feel Better In Colorful Outfit.

 

 

9. LOOK AT FLOWERS THROUGH THE EYES OF MONET - Claude Monet Was Famous For His Water Lily Paintings Which Was Inspired By  His Japanese Garden In Giverny, France. He Painted A Series Of Approximately 250 Water Lilies In His Later Years. These Rosy Pink Tiger Lilies Were Wonderful Stand - In For Monet's Water Lilies.  

10. TREAT YOURSELF TO A BOX OF CRAYONS OR ACRYLICS - Learning To Paint Is A Rewarding Hobby & Escape. Even If  You Don't Aspire To  Be  Like Van Gogh.   Entertained Yourself W/ A Nice Coloring Books With Floral Or Botanical Subjects. Color It Outside The Lines.  Color Vividly W/ Crayons Or Acrylics . Before You Know, You  Have  Created  An Impressionist Art. Anything Could Be An ART. Hanged It On The Wall, For Everyone To See. Showcased A Work Of Art, No Matter How Silly From A Page Of Coloring Book.  A Sure Way To Bring Joy Into Your Dull Routine. Like These Blooming Red Flowers Above, Your Outlook In Life Would Be As Colorful.  

 

11. FIND A ROMANTIC PLACE AROUND THE GARDEN  - This Was The Kind Of Subject The Impressionist Artist  Would Love To Paint. But Also Conducive To Romance  And Love That Makes That World Lovelier. Notice The Beautiful Reflections Of Red Tulips On The Water.  Don't You Love It? 

12. BE IMAGINATIVE - See The Beauty Of A Stream Like The Impressionists. Surely This Stunning Streams Would Looked Differently To The Eyes Of My Favorite Post- Impressionist Artist,  Vincent Van Gogh. But As An Artist, I Learned To Look At a Subject Like A Painting. This Natural  Setting W/ Colorful Floral Arrangement And Branches Reflected On The Water

Was An Impressionists Dream Subject. Look At The Water! Its An Admirable Impressionistic Beauty. Use Lots Of Imaginations And Seek Beauty Like An Artist.

 

13. APPRECIATE NATURE -  Most Impressionists Loved Nature. They Got A Break Occasionally  And  Took A Fresh Look At The Clouds, The Colors Of The Sky, The Plants, Trees, Leaves, And Flowers. How They Swayed When The Wind Blows.

 

14. BE ADVENTUROUS WITH YOUR LOVED ONES -  Impressionists Artists Loved To Travel. They Loved To Explore. They Lived On the Edge  A Little And Embrace New Challenges.  Visited New Places. Took The Road Less Traveled.  Didn't Stick To The Same Old Mold Or Way Of Life. Life For Them Were More Exciting W/ Many Colorful Adventures. We Loved Traveling Too. We Embraced The Impressionists Way To Seek For Inspiration And Ideas.  Look What We Found Inspiring?  A Pair Of Giant Dutch Clogs.

15. LOOK BEYOND THE ORDINARY - This Was A Beautiful Photo Of A Little Stream Covered W/ Fallen White Petals From The Tree Blossoms.  Looked Like An Impressionist Painting By Seurat W/ His Pointillist Style. Impressionists Artists Like To Capture Their Images W/ Out Much Details. They Didn't Mind That The Pictures Seemed A Bit "Sketchy." Looking Beyond The Roadside Through The Eyes Of The Impressionists Would Turn This  Blurry And Swirly Landscape Into A Lovely Tapestry Of Green Masses And White Dancing Dots, Colors And Lights.

16. ALWAYS LOOK AT THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE - Be Bold! Surely The Impressionists Were Very Optimistic Artist. Although They Were Starving Artist They Continued To Create Magnificent Masterpieces With Rich Colors. 

Who Were The Impressionists Artists You've Heard About - Monet. Renoir, Cezanne, Sisley, Etc. But They Haven't Been Always Famous. Before They Were Known, They Were A Bunch Of Artists Who Spent Most Of Their Non-Painting Days Discussing Art In Parisian Cafes. None Of Them Had Been Well-Known And Could Barely Find Anyone To Buy Their Art Works. The Impressionists Were Not Quitters.

 

17. BE SINCERE- Sincerity Is One Of The Hallmark Of An Impressionists. Meaning, The Quality Of Being Free From Pretense, Deceit Or Hypocrisy. Synonymous W/ Honesty, Truthfulness, Genuineness And Integrity. Impressionists Didn't Aim For Perfection. The Goal Of The Impressionist Wasn't To Create Perfect Image But To Capture The TRUE "Feeling." 

18. SPLURGE ON IMPRESSIONISTS ART BOOKS  - When Traveling, The Temptation To Buy Junkie Souvenirs Was Hard To Resist. Instead Of Lingering Around The Shop, Go Straight To The Art Book Section. Long After The Trip Was Over, You'll Have W/ You Photos Of  Impressionists Paintings That's More Lasting. Buy Art Books W/ Beautiful Flowers Paintings On Them. (The Above Orange Flower Was A Tulip Hybrid Called Tulipa "Real").    

 

19. VISIT AN ART MUSEUM WITH YOUR LOVER - Go  To Art Museums That Showcased Art Works By Impressionists Artists. You Would Deeply Appreciate Those Impressive Impressionistic Masterpieces. Linger Long On Paintings W/ Subjects That Interest You. If You Are A Flower Lover, Try Seeing As Many Colorful  Floral Paintings. Learn The Difference Between Impressionist, Post-Impressionist Art and Expressionism.   Soon Your Friends Would Be Marveling At Your Great Knowledge Of Art History. Later, They Wanted To Visit Art Museums W/  You. And They Were Not Longer Thought That Art Museum Were Boring.

(Photo Taken At The Cherry Blossoms Area)

 

20. FOLLOW YOUR "FIELDS OF DREAMS" - The Impressionist Were Big Dreamers. At That Time, The Impressionists Topped The List Of "Least Likely To Succeed." Today, Van Gogh, Monet, Cezanne And Etc., Were the Most Valuable Brand Names In All Of Art.

Make A List Of Everything You've Ever Dreamed Of Doing And Make It Happen. Dreams Weren't Achieved By Sitting Around And Waiting. If You Really Want Something, Find A Way To Achieve Them.Like The Impressionists, They Followed Their Dreams.  (Photo Above Was Field Of Yellow Tulips).

 

21. BE INSPIRED BY  BIOGRAPHIES OF ARTISTS - Start Collecting Art Books Related To Your Favorite Impressionists Artists. Being A Fan Of Vincent Van Gogh, I Had A Large Collection Of His Biographies, Photos of Paintings And Historical Novels. His Letters Were Full Of Art Lessons. He Documented His Art Career Like No Other Artists.  His Life Though Very Tragic  Was Very Interesting And Inspiring To Read. He Didn't Live Long Enough To See The Crowds Who Embraced His Canvasses. Today, There's A  Whole Museum In Amsterdam Devoted Only To His Work. In Musee D'Orseey Museum In Paris, A Floor was Exclusively Dedicated To Van Gogh's Art Works.  Many Artists And Their Struggles To Produce Art Works, Which Were True And Pleasing To Viewers Eyes Were exposed To the Public. Truly Inspiring Creative Lives. (Photo of Red Japanese Maple Was From The Japanese Garden Area).

 

Painted White Curvy Driftwood  Together W/ Water Fountain In Background

 

22. COLLECT CIRCLE OF CREATIVE FRIENDS AND RELATIONSHIPS  - Having Many Friends Are  Good. But Collecting  Selective Friends And Relationships  Are More   Special Way To Live Beautifully And Happily. Choose Those Special People Who Have The Drive To Be  Creative, Expressive, Inventive,  Innovative And Imaginative. Be Friendly W/ Those Who Love To Experiment, Break The Rules, Productive, Take Risk And Not Quitting Too Soon. Seek People With Impressionist Characters Like Curiosity And Enthusiastic. These Type  Helped Us Grow More Artistically And Creatively.

Remember That The Early Impressionists Artists Were A Group Of Close Circle Of Creative Artists. They Supported And Sticked Together Through Thick Or Thin, In Sickness And In Health. Through Thin Times And Oil Paints Were Very Expensive They Were Never Stingy. Their Paintings Became More Thicker W/ Bold Oil Paints, Colors And Exaggerated Splashes.  (Photo Collection Of White Painted Driftwood).

23. PLAY WITH THE WINDMILL - Do Things You Enjoy. You Noticed That You Felt Most Alive And Bursting W/ Color When You Were Engaged In Activity That You Enjoyed. Make Time For Play. Remember When We Were Kids, Our Only Goal Was To See How Much FUN We Could Have. Be Like A Kid Again. Paint, Draw, Laugh, Play, Run, Climb And Just Be Alive.  If You Couldn't Paint Like The Impressionists, You Could Build A Wooden Windmill Toy. Engineering Talents Helped Technology Build A Better And Happier World. 

 

24. WATCH MOVIES ABOUT ARTIST - Movies About Artists Have  Visual Excitement Too. One Of My Favorites Was "Lust For Life."An Old Movie About The Life Of Vincent Van Gogh. I Never Got Tired Watching It No Matter How Many Times It Had Been Replayed. I Also Loved The Movie "Starry Night," A Modern Version Of The Life Of Van Gogh.  Movies About Artists Are Like Pills To Me. They POP Life Into Me When The Daily Living Seemed Rough. (Red Tiger Lilies In Photo)

 

25. FALL IN LOVE WITH YELLOW- Yes, Yellow Is The Color Of Sunshine. It's Associated W/ Joy, Happiness, Intellect And Energy. Yellow Produced A Warming Effect, Arouses Cheerfulness, Stimulates Mental Activity And Generates Muscle Energy. No Wonder, Yellow Was A Favorite Color Among Impressionists Artists. Vincent Van Gogh Painted His Famous "Sunflower" Paintings In Monochromatic Yellows. I Love Yellow Too. It Colored My Life With Energy In My Golden Years.

 

26. SMILE AND SAY "CHEESE!" - Everyday Is A New Day! Learn From The Past And the Impressionists. They Didn't Quit When Their Art Dreams Were Not An Immediate Success. They Made Goals For the Future And Today Impressionists Art Are The Most Impressive Among Modern Art.

27. PLANT A FLOWER - If  Painting Is Not Your Cup Of Tea, Then Buy Living And Colorful

Flowers. Plant Them On Colorful Tea Pots W/ Stylish Spouts. Place Them On Beautiful  Sunny

Spots In Your Home Where You Could See And Enjoy Them Everyday. And Most Of All, Don't Forget To Name Them  After Your Favorite Impressionists Artists If You Planted A Vinca,  An Adoptive Name Would Be "Vincent" In Honor Of Vincent Van Gogh.

28. ONCE IN A WHILE BUY A LOTTERY TICKET - Have The Guts Like The Impressionists Who Took Risks To Change The Art World. Gamble A Bit For Fun.. No Need To Splurge $100.00 On Lottery Tickets. Remember It Took Only One Ticket Too Win. Who Knows You Might Be A Million Dollar Winner. Surely, Owning An Original Painting By Van Gogh Would Be A Great Reward.
Meanwhile, Be Happy Decorating Your Home With Impressionists Art Reproductions. I'd Like To Add That I Also Like To Own An Original Georgia O'Keeffe Floral Paintings. (The Above Flower Looked Like One Of Her Red Poppies)
 

29. SEEK SOLITUDE - The World Rushes On. Spent Time In Silence Like The Impressionists. They Oftened Seek Solitude To Be Able To Create & Paint Their Masterpieces. Lets Take A Break From The Noise Between iPhones, TVs, Computers, Etc., Etc. How Could We Ever Hear The Still Small Voice Of Our Creator, If We Couldn't Listen Quietly? At The End Of A Busy Day.......Reflecting, Meditating, Praying And Singing A Hymn Like "In The Garden," Will Restore Our Souls And Spirits. These Spiritual Exercises Was Like Entering A Quiet Garden. Try It!

 

 

30. HAVE A GRATEFUL HEART - Be Thankful Always. Thank God  For Beautiful Garden W/ Awesome Flowers On Parade. What A Glimpse Of Paradise. If Earth Has A Garden Of Eden Like Kuekenhof, I Wonder What Kind Of Flower Garden Will Waiting for Us In Heaven.

 

Photo Taken Among The Cherry Tree, Blossoming Near A Wooden Bridge W/ Running Stream. This Beautiful Scene Reminded Me Of The Bible Verse In Psalm 1:2-3:

"His/Her Delight Is In Law Of  The LORD, And In His Law He/She Meditates Day And Night. He/She Will Be Like A Tree Firmly Planted By The Streams Of Water, Which Yields Its Fruit In Its Season And Its Leaf Does Not Wither; And Whatsoever He/She Does Shall Prosper."