[A man] doesn’t always know himself what he would do, but he feels by instinct, I’m good for something, even so! … I know that I could be quite a different man! … There’s something within me, so what is it!*
Vincent van Gogh

Take me down to the spring of my life, and tell me my nature and my name.**
George Appleton

Vincent van Gogh attempted one venture after another in order to plumb the depths of his being including art dealer, teacher, missionary, but none of these reached the depths of who he was and what he could do.

Even when he returned to art, his drawings and watercolours didn’t take him there.

Out in a storm, he was to discover it was to work quickly with oils that took him there where he found his crystallising intent and he began his art-altering work.

Anything less would have been a lie, as it is for each of us.

*Vincent van Gogh, quoted in David Epstein’s Range;
**George Appleton, quoted in the Northumbria Community‘s Morning Prayer.