Thick strokes of blues and yellows merge together, undulating across the canvas. The movement of the paint makes the piece seem to hum with life. I move close then far away, trying to see the painting from every angle. This was my experience the first time I saw Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' during a visit to the Museum of Modern Art with my father. I'd never connected to a piece of art so strongly before; it was almost and emotional experience. Now, almost a decade later, I finally paid tribute to my favorite painting, letting it inspire my graduate collection.