Amsterdam 2024

 

My recent Art reproduction.

Beginning of our trip

🙏😊🤔⭐Newcastle on 1st September 

 ⭐2 Nd September Ship to Holland 

⭐ 3rd arrival Holland 

Chalet Amsteelveen/

⭐6 7 8 September hotel

Weesp Holland  

Then back to Amsterdam 19th 

Then return 

Go to

Newcastle 

20th to Leicester England 

⭐21st

Kent Margate England 

⭐November 2rd

Hemel Hempstead here now⭐

⭐4 th Luton cemetery England 

Burton m 6 

⭐5 November home

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My Amsterdam trip and Margate Kent 

I have to many words to describe my feelings on this occasion of visiting not only Van Gogh Paintings in one area but in three.

Along with Rembrandt and Picasso.

Van Gogh paintings cannot be described to how they look when you are there in front of them.

I personally believe anyone who is an Artist ought to make the Journey to see for themselves 

the techniques used.

It opens your mind to look and read about his works through his eyes.

What an amazing Artist he is.

His story is well known to all who love this Artist.

I would not change any of my Journey it has been an amazing trip.

It certainly fills your mind with new ideas to add to your own skills.

I am looking forward to beginning new projects.

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The Van Gogh projector animated Painting museum.

On entering the main entrance 

Then through to the arena a vast area which covered floors and walls with the amazing display of Art.

Many Dutch Artists,the one I was most interested to see was Van Gogh.

Instantly feelings of overwhelming experience of the entire display engulfed my emotions.

Tears soon began to drop like rain and I could not control.

The music added to the display added to the atmosphere where you were

Emerged to become part of the Art.

I felt every Painting of the pain of the Artists life story as each piece of work a story turned over inside my thoughts.

Viewing the Art in 4 D dimensional imagery captured the mind.

People all around stood in awe of the most beautiful and talented display using Art from many Artists.

The display lasted one hour for

In my own personal experience I observed the Art of Van Gogh for a second time.

Learning from our past master's teaches many lessons.

On leaving the display to go onto visit Rembrandt's house.

It covered 4 floors.

Not a lover of his work but to be wrapped into the history of his home and studio is something no Artist or Art lover ought to miss.

The easels and brushes with the palettes took my interest to Heart.

Having use of these in my own home.

I could connect with the setting.

It was a confidence booster to learn of the use of the techniques and the way in which the art was produced using layers upon layers of paint onto the linen canvas were in fact same I use myself.

Rembrandt when he taught his students he would display one of his own paintings for his students to copy from with being no photographs in his day.

This is exactly how I self taught myself to paint.

Having been brought up with no funds to pay for development of films in cameras in my day in the 1960's.

I went onto visit the ode kerk

The oldest building in Amsterdam a church.

With it's amazing huge glass pane windows.

It was a very basic plain church inside with paintings displaying how back in 1805

The people who attended dressed as they attended the church.

A very special day to mark the era back then brought the realistic view of just how old the building was.

A short trip away from the church doors a little over the canal bridge was the Red light district of Amsterdam.

Being afternoon most curtains were closed a few were open with many displaying themselves for business well into the night.

The canals close by never stopped with boats of all shapes and sizes moving up and down the waters.

Bikes took up most of any space left unattended for walking.

Truly an miracle not one person or bike crashed.

Overwhelming eye opener and mind stretching experience.

I shall definitely be going back

For now I spend the next few days organising my return Journey back to the UK.

Thank you for your support in reading about my amazing Journey.

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 Kroller Muller Museum visit today on 9.11.24, arrived at 

11 30am.

Greeted by an Dutch attendant to enter the car parking.

Already had purchased parking tickets in advance also entry to the Museum.

This made the experience very easy to gain access quickly and smoothly.

Karla the Attendant after we pleasantly exchanged names out of courtesy, Karla scanned all tickets and met our little dog Rosie.

The parking was a few minutes drive through the national park.

Filled with trees which stretched for miles.

Never saw any wildlife.

Reaching the museum,many huge sculptures adorned the entrance.

Instantly on entering the building you could spot immediately the crowds which surrounded Van Gogh collection of Paintings.

Personal impression on my first viewing of the paintings were the distinctive signature on many of the Artwork on display.

To view his name signed Vincent which he used on most of his Art work due to fact the French had a hard time in pronouncing Van Gogh.

His signature to myself is a instant connection with the Artist.

There is no right or wrong as to an Artist must sign Artwork.

There are many who do not.

It does make it easier for Art to be authenticated from an professional Art dealer point of view, for it makes their selling easier.

It is the brush strokes which determine the Art.

I arrived when the museum was pretty empty so this enabled me to get up very close to the paintings and study what I was looking for.

The thickness of the applied paint on top of many many layers.

The difference in patterns used from swirls to strokes long or short thick or thin.

The paint applied did not cause a mud effect which happens when beginners apply two primary colours together.

The colours on each painting from top to bottom were vibrant and bright.

His earlier work was as expected very dark and deep

With the lamplight being main bright object within the painting.

Yellow being the brightest against the blue really contrasting together amazingly.

I personally felt totally immersed when inside the museum,a very relaxing atmosphere with no one looking over your shoulder.

I was so close my nose tip felt the Art works.

The overhead lights were off which helped stop extra glare onto the Art.

I sat down to take in the full

Perspective of all the paintings in front of me.

Everyone was so respectful to allow you your space to and time.

I went around the Van Gogh paintings twice.

I did go around to view others on display.

It to myself felt though I was there on my own with no one else there.

The Artwork from such a troubled mind of Vincent Van Gogh is but a miracle of life.

An absolute honour to have the opportunity to view in person, with what the Artist wanted for all to see.

He got his wishes.

I hope one day to be back again or go onto other countries to view his many works.

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Have just finished my visit to Amsterdam Van Gogh museum.

So glad we had went to find the parking area and museum the night before.

You need to use your QR code 

To get in through doors to get back to your car.

I read that the morning before we left to go.

It was sent with our prepaid parking which opens barriers into car park reading your car reg.

Glad I read about how to get back to car.

Scan phone for the code.

Then doors opened np.

Waiting in queue for 20 mins luckily no rain.

The sun kept away until 1pm

Gave more than enough time to allow my husband to see the paintings also as having to get back to Rosie before it got to hot.

There were 4 floors to cover to see them all.

I took in as many of my favourite 

Paintings of his works.

I also got a few with me beside them.

My husband pointed out a signature for me to see on a painting which was only applied by Van Gogh when he was happy with a finished painting.

My husband was only pointing and this security guard grabbed his arm.

My husband being martial arts trained got his arm freed from the arrogant guard.

Who shouted no pointing.

It was somewhat frightening.

My husband soon let him know that he was not letting him put his hand onto his arm.

Apart from that experience the rest was a very overwhelming experience.

I know the story back to front which helps you focus on what you want to take in

I got very close up to the paintings.

Not a thing was done about that.

I found the paint on the cardboard he used at times to be very scarcely applied with paint for obvious reasons.

The dishcloth he used is amazing how not one wrinkle was there when he used it for the painting it is hard to do that.

One of his father's paintings on the show was exactly as he had written about.

Looking at his own Van Gogh self portraits of himself you could sense his frustration in his capturing himself with expression.

I captured the texture and thickness he used which is very noticeable.

Not using varnish or paste to thicken the paint is one of the techniques I agree with what he talks about in his letters to his brother.

Amsterdam is a very amazing place to watch the world go by inside or outside.

The boat canal goes right through the city.

Have yet to visit the red light district.

Right along the canal there are baskets upon baskets of the amazing display of flowers of many colours.

Some even have bikes covered in them for tourists to get their photographs taken.

Many water drinking taps to have a drink of water or fill your bottle.

At a few areas felt my head was turning right around on my shoulders to watch for cycling and cars or trams.

Many musicians from playing violin to accordion to cello played under the roof of entrance to another museum.

It gave their instruments a concert sound.

The weather began to get hot reaching 25c time for to go out of the sunshine especially with little dog Rosie who loved walking around watching what was going on.

Friday until Monday back to Weesp another beautiful area with canal's.

Markets outdoors,I shall be on the lookout for antiques.

I find Amsterdam to be one of the best countries I have ever visited apart from ripping people off who don't find out how not to be.

Speaking to a few people from USA Dallas and one or two from Canada who agree the city with the cyclists is very impressive and the fact the bikes are very old fashioned looking too.

We all agreed we wished every country was like this.

Fortunately for Amsterdam they are lucky to live within a confined area where everywhere is within reach not hours apart to reach another town.

I shall be securely putting my special paintings photograph into an album once professionally printed for myself.

A nice memory for myself when I am old and grey.

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Margate Kent

Turner museum 

The name Turner has been exploited not one of his paintings there.

They cannot afford the loan fee or insurance to.cover costs.

So why name it Turner.

The theme on display was preserve nature.

I left with an empty jar of jam..my thoughts.

A very disappointing experience of what our future art.

It is aimed at opening the minds of younger generations who take life for granted.

I get that but the name definitely needs changing.

Definitely no craftsmanship involved in this exhibition only builders and machines to get it all in place.

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A poem I wrote for

Van Gogh

He watched you paint 

each time you 

call his name

He would never

Be the same

If your Love of 

Van Gogh did

Not remain.

He felt 

blessed 

throughout 

His pain

Was his love 

For Art

all in vain.

He sat alone 

Inside his room

Painting took away

Lifes gloom.

Summer's new

Almond blossom fills

The air

He sits and paints

Until all the trees

Are bare.

Annie ©

♥️

One of my Art stories.

Self taught..v ..Professional 

Often working alongside

Town Artist.

Projects were of many.

One in particular

Working at Christmas

Painting onto hospital windows for the terminally ill.

Working away one of the patients after the window was completed.

Asked" how much do I owe you for doing that lass "

I replied diplomatically not to hurt any feelings or pride of having things done out of our community for free.

" No need, for that ,you have worked all your days, you deserve a little bit of Christmas cheer ,you have already paid "

Working alongside professionally trained Artists out of college came with its drawbacks.

Always believing they could do a better job.

One morning I was called upon.

The sister of the hospital ward

Asked to speak to me.

My first thought was here we go, she wants the professional Artists, painting fallen angels and god on the cross, looking like it should be in a gallery.

She approached me, said.

" Can you ,be the one to come back on your own for the rest of the Christmas season, for I do not want the other Artists to paint what they are doing.

It is very depressing for our patients.

I love your holly and ivy, little Robin birds, Xmas trees, stocking hanging up at the fireplace.

Everything you have painted has been admired by everyone.

I went to college but decided to leave the conventional way of being taught how to paint.

I decided to learn my own style without being brainwashed into other styles.

I wanted to be unique using my own style.

This is a tiny spec in the ocean of my Artistic world.

Annie Mitchell

 ©

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An artist's life is spoken with every brush stroke every emotion they feel are shared through the choices of colour.

Relaxation in the use of fingers holding the brush determines the flow of paint applied to a canvas, the bounce back from the movement strikes the proper chord to cover the areas prepared for setting the scene to produce the work of art.

The life of the artist looks through the eye lens in observations of the world around them the positive and negative views they see from an individual's perspective .

Hands which have worked to levels of abilities unravelled through blood sweat and tears to gain the endless trials to reach their highest potential within their own style.

©

Annie 

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Then..

My Mum Annie.

Met up with Rebecca church lady as planned at the gates of the cemetery of my mum's unmarked grave.

We arrived a little earlier to give our dog Rosie a welcome break after the two hours driving from nearby accommodation.

We have travelled from Scotland to Amsterdam then onto Kent then Luton UK

Where my mum is.

Rebecca opened the cemetery gate to allow us to drive to my mum's plot.

Getting out of the car the area surrounding where we were heading was covered in Autumn leaves, the greenery around was the brightest I have seen.

Walking with Rebecca in front who lead us directly to my mum's unmarked plot.

The church had marked it out for me with wooden sticks.

I knew I would be effected by being there, I did not expect just how much it did effect me.

Rebecca gave me the background history of the plot.

No one owns it nor ever can.

It is known as a public plot.

This means no one had came forward to pay the expenses of a proper funeral then these plots were used.

Rebecca went onto tell us more about how many others were beside my mum and they were of no relationship to my mum.

No one can claim the plot this means you cannot place a headstone but you can have a wooden cross placed with engraving.

This can be of any shape or size.

This is being arranged within the next few weeks.

I shall be able to choose one and have her name put on it at last.

We left and the big church you see is St Mary's church luton.

Rebecca had arranged to have it opened up especially for our visit.

I learnt the clergy back in 1968

Had performed my mum's funeral.

Inside the church Rebecca left us to walk in our peaceful moments.

Setting candles for us to light also.

I sat on a pew which Queen Elizabeth 11 had visited in 1952 where she had sat also.

The photographs and videos I took to share this experience with you.

Once we left the church we went onto visit the outside of my mum's house.

I was blown away by this time by the whole history of my mum's life.

I never knew she lived there.

Rebecca then left us to go back to my mum's grave to plant the tulips I had brought back from Amsterdam.

Rebecca shall be arranging to contact a funeral director to see about the cross.

Also organise a curator to perform a blessing when it is being erected.

Unfortunately we won't be there but shall receive photographs once it is in place.

Next time we visit at least we know my mum is finally been given her beautiful cross with her name.

This has been an eye opener for me her daughter finding out what I now know.

It explains a lot of unanswered questions I had with no one left to tell me the truth.

The truth is painful to know but better than left to believe what you had been told growing up.

As we get older we begin to question life events.

I am sad emotional about my visit and broke my heart sitting at my mum's grave.

Yet very grateful she has at least been found and shall have her name seen and she did live.

I hope you get pleasure from my footage and photos of the area.

It shall look completely different once the engraved cross and tulips have grown.

I am so very lucky and very grateful for everyone who has followed 

I also could not had done any of this had it not been for my husband taking me.

The church which is 800 years old is so beautiful and is in constant need of upkeep.

I shall be helping them with a donation.

Rebecca has worked there for 17 years and said my story is one of many of similar stories she has heard.

Many grandchildren looking for their grandparents.

To me it is my story one of which touched my heart deeply

Thank you for reading and letting me share my most endearing Heartfelt memories of my mum.

©