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The horrid painter..

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by
kathycf
, 05-15-2007 at 09:09 PM (2116 Views)
It's all Jackson Pollock's fault. Yes indeed. Oh, I suppose I will have to explain that.

So a few semesters ago, I took a class about American Art. Winslow Homer, Georgia O'Keefe, Mary Cassat, Edward Hopper...some other artists and of course Jackson Pollock. Pollock did a lot of abstract impressionist type works and his technique of pouring and dripping paint is considered to be the origins of the "action painting".

His work may or may not be people's cup of tea. I like some of it, but I can't say that I love it. Okay, so during the course of this class we have tests and papers. I do well on the tests, but one of my papers comes back with a grade of....B minus. Oh, dear, that will never do. I freak out, as I am often prone to doing. I know you who read this blog will find the whole idea of my freaking out to be utterly shocking, but there it is...

The professor shows a clip from the 2000 film Pollock and tells us we can write a short essay on the film and earn extra credit. I, of course, am all over this prospect. I rent the film at the library, watch it (it is pretty good), write my essay and get my extra credit. It's all good, right?

Wrong...I misunderstand the librarian and return the film late. Books have a two week limit, films only have one. I returned the books and the movie all at the same time, after two weeks. I browse around, select more books and plunk them down on the counter and the librarian announces in a loud, piercing tone that I have a fine of 17 dollars due. I am dumbfounded....What? 14 of the 17 dollars is for the Pollock film. Apparently, each day the movie is late back a two dollar fine is assessed.

I am caught by surprise which is never pleasant and I am totally taken aback and shamed. I have issues with shame. She asks if I am going to pay the fine (if a library patron has a fine over five dollars, they are not allowed to take books out) and I mutter something...I can't hear what I said because the blood is pounding in my ears and I feel nauseous. I leave the books I wanted on the counter, turn and leave the library and go home, vowing never to return. At least I got a 4.0 in that art class. (A plus)

The decision to never return, of course, harms no one but me. I just feel too stupid to go back....which is stupid. Layers and layers of stupid and guilt, what a mess. Kind of like an "action painting"... Rather than blame myself, I have decided to put the blame where it belongs...on Jackson Pollock.

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Comments

  1. Countess's Avatar
    LMAO! Bless your heart. Just to think of your "fine" as a testimony to your literary competency. People who don't read/go to the library never have fines. (--;

    Actually, wouldn't it be cheaper to just *buy* the movie from them? I mean, how much can an old, overwatched movie cost these days?
  2. kathycf's Avatar
    Well, it has been returned...I am just being silly about going back there and paying the fine.

    how much can an old, overwatched movie cost these days?
    Amazon.com says $10.49 plus shipping. Stupid Pollock....
  3. mtpspur's Avatar
    Hmmm--just got done looking at above painting and now I know where Frank Miller got his ideas for protraying violence in Robocop comics.
  4. kiz_paws's Avatar
    Awww, poor you, Kathy. I hate it when things like that happen, but face it -- life is full of these little 'surprizes', and we have all been embarassed before. Don't know if this helps, but what can one do if one owes a library fine? I see the importance of being able to continue taking out books, so I'd just quickly and quietly pay the blasted fine and be done with it. Think of it as a kindly donation to the betterment of your local library.... or something like that, lol! And now you know the bitter truth of renting videos... (that really is a steep fine btw). **hugs**
  5. andave_ya's Avatar
    Yes, Pollock is a drag. I wrote an artist's bio on him and, well, poor dude.
  6. Captain Pike's Avatar
    I think you ought to put the blame on the library! And as for Pollock, I have to admit I kind of like his stuff, but he died and killed his friend drunk driving at 44 years old! What a waste! In my book you're doing better than he'll ever do!

    Let us read your report!!
  7. kathycf's Avatar
    Oh goodness, I don't have that report anymore. I took the class a few semesters ago...so probably about 18 months. Gulp, that is really sad, that I haven't been to the library in 18 months. I am truly a doofus. Pollock made a handy scapegoat...

    Captain Pike, I actually like some of his work too. "Autumn Rythym" and "Lavender Mist no 1" are two of my favorites of his stuff. I think like a lot of artists, he was talented but kind of a jerk otherwise.
  8. GrayFoxDown's Avatar
    Pollock was one of those painters that made everyone (including me) imagine that they too were "painters." Back in the late 60s, early 70s, why become "bogged-down" with considerations such as Subject or Perspective when you could allow your emotions to run wild in a storm of colors? Your hidden "genius" would reveal itself (albeit the genius of a Mr. Hyde) on that blank canvass...somewhere. (I happily studied and play piano instead.)

    I saw the film POLLOCK. Where I had once entertained a reserved respect for this "revolutionary artist," any respect I had for him vanished with the film's closing credits: I found that I hated both the film and the artist...I really tried to like both.

    Truly, "art is long and life is short" (that may be a quote...I'm not sure). Some great observations on your blog, kathy. I'll see you again soon. Regards.