To See: Jackson Pollock

Posted on | April 21, 2008 |

Many will argue that their child, or an elephant, could do what Jackson Pollock did to canvas. Maybe so, but I say there was probably no one better at surrendering to an organic creative process.

He let the paint be what it is and do what it does. He not only accepted how paint splatters and globs, runs and pours, he adored the way it moved and danced across the canvas. He played with it. He called it “action painting” and dribbled and drizzled it saying, “The painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through.”

Usually artists, like some of us in our everyday lives, try to control the outcome. We pause, we plan, we are careful, we are cautious – making sure that we get things juuuuust right. The end result of being so careful causes worry, dread, self-doubt, fear, loathing, procrastination, and stress.

It really seems so counter-intuitive. I mean, can we really control what people are? We can definitely have an effect, but in the end sometimes accepting what situations, circumstances, people, things are is really the beauty of all of it.

I love how Pollock really worked with what he had in a natural way. I learn from him. I admire him. I’m too much of a perfectionist. I need things to be just so. I am learning to breathe and let go: let things do what they need to do, let them dance, evolve naturally, and love them dearly for it. In the end, I will have my own masterpiece called life.

Copyright © 2008 by Kelley Taylor

Have fun! See: http://makeeverydayaholiday.com/to-do/to-do-make-your-own-jackson-pollock-art/

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