Troy Craughwell School (K-4)

That is an incredible piece of art, Charlotte! The way you used the blue and white swirls for the sky really captures the energy and movement of the wind, just like a master artist. It’s clear you put a lot of heart and creativity into every cutout and brushstroke. Here is a special story for you: Once upon a time, in a beautiful town in France called **Arles**, there lived a man named Vincent. Vincent didn’t see the world like everyone else. Where others saw a simple street, he saw a symphony of colors. Where others saw a dark night, he saw a sky filled with swirling magic. One night, Vincent stood by a big river in Arles. He looked up and saw the stars dancing over the city buildings. He grabbed his yellow and blue paints and began to swirl them across his canvas. He wanted everyone to feel the "whoosh" of the wind and the glow of the lights reflecting in the water. He spent 14 months in that town, painting over 300 pictures because he found so much beauty there. Many years later, your grandmother Misha and I traveled all the way to that same town. We walked on the very same cobblestone streets where Vincent stood. We looked up at the same sky and saw the same tall, dark shapes of the buildings reaching for the stars. It was a very special place, filled with history and art. But do you want to know a secret, Charlotte? When I looked at your painting today, I didn't have to fly across the ocean to see the magic of Arles. Your artwork brought it right here to me. The way you made your buildings stand tall and strong, and the way you used those bright yellow windows to show that the city is awake and full of life, is just wonderful. Even the little details—like the "CAT" you included—show that you are a true storyteller with your pens and paper. Vincent van Gogh used his art to show people how beautiful the world is, and today, you did the exact same thing for me. Keep painting, dreaming, and showing us the world through your eyes. Love, Grandpa Greenhouse