In which a well meaning compliment goes awry…

Sadly, I have been known to come down with an occasional case of foot-in-mouth disease. I suppose it is because I like to talk so much. I LOVE talking. It can get me into trouble.  Such was the case yesterday. But i guess I feel the need to explain myself.

Spinning started a little late yesterday. The whys and wherefores are insignificant. However, I must say that we were excited to get started. We walked in the door and were greeted by some brand-spankin’ new artwork on the walls. Cool! I like that. I love anything different and original, and even tho’ I am still getting to know the Grass Cup environment, I expected it to be by an artist who was local, or someone who was known to the Cafe’s proprietor. That stuff is what draws me to places. Who wants to go anywhere that has churned-out, mass produced crap on the walls? (although i have to admit, i am VERY fond of my Steinlen prints in my living room)

So – as a lover of art, a former art student, and an ex-lighting designer myself (basically a a three-dimensional, however unorthodox type of ART) I was really excited to know that the artist was on the premises, and it was her BIRTHDAY. How cool. I admit, I didn’t look particularly closely, food and spinning being the top two things in my mind at the moment, I said the first things that popped into my head. These were:  1. That painting reminds me of Jackson Pollack.  2. The artist herself may not like that idea, but i’ll say it anyways.After all, it’s STILL a compliment isn’t it? This is freaking Jackson Pollack we’re talking about here!  Apparently, that was a bad idea.

The reply i got was less than enthusiastic. “Have you ever seen Jackson Pollack? They don’t look anything like Jackson Pollack.” And. That. Was. It. Okay…. Maybe I’m taking it a little too personally. She probably didn’t mean anything by it. However, I felt like an idiot. I KNOW they don’t LOOK like Jackson Pollack. They reminded me of his work.  Most of the paintings DIDN”T look anything like Jackson Pollack’s work. After all, not many people want to roll around in paint, and they don’t consider dribbles and splashes art. But – two of her paintings DID remind me of him, and it was to those I was referring. They were large abstract-ish, textural pieces. They’re really cool, i liked them a lot. Still do.  I can visualize one piece in particular, large, dark, “swirly”, you can see the shapes of people, their faces, but they’re almost indistinct. But the memory of embarrassment lingers longer.

I still feel what i said is a compliment. Jackson Pollack isn’t a nobody. I understand all art is original, however, If someone told me my spinning technique or yarn reminded (or looked like)them of Abby Franquemont’s work, do you think i would care? (okay, maybe she is too recent of an analogy) She’s freaking awesome! Jackson Pollack was an innovator, a leader, someone who lives on, he’s in the history books, they teach about him! Speaking of, I don’t know ANYONE who has Jackson Pollack prints on THEIR walls. He is too original and cool to be mass produced. You can’t say that for many artists. (even though all their stuff is gorgeous)(and tomorrow someone will email me and tell me that they found a JP print online for $12.99) THAT is sort of the meaning I had in mind when I felt I was giving out a compliment as well.

So, I apologize for having stuck a fork in the birthday girl, so to speak, but I was only trying to tell her that I happened to like her work. I don’t actually get to tell artists that, so if I have the chance, I’ll say so. Most of the ones I’ve heard of are dead, and i’ll never get to tell them. Jackson Pollack is one of those, along with a few others. Be glad you can hear a FUBARed comment now, instead of later!

So, I am still well meaning and all, its great stuff, hopefully no one is pissed off at me for writing this.  I don’t bear a grudge, I just wanted to be understood. Sometimes you have to look for the deeper meaning in a person’s statements, just like in a work of art.