Artist 23: Jackson Pollock

Jackson Pollock was born in Wyoming in 1912. This is an artist I have mixed feelings about. Don't get me wrong, I very much like his work, especially since he did it so many years ago, so it was unique then. And yet, one can only ask "how does splattering paint make you famous?" This is mostly because of the time I live in currently, well kind of. I'm sure back when he did these paintings he recieved criticism for splattering paint, but then it was new. Now, whenever I see someone do a painting such as that, yeah, sometimes it looks interesting, but I can only wonder how much time, effort, or thought one put into it. Today, since splatter paintings are well known, any idiot can take a paint brush and fling it onto a canvas. But as said before, I like Pollock. He did something different at the time, and I applaud this. One of my favorite pieces of his is "Number 18." The splattering of paint reminds me of dipping ink into water, just less liquid-like and less smokey. The colors used are also eye pleasing, the bold parts of the painting are scattered, the boldest being in the middle. This does not make one edge or side of the piece heavier than the other. It is very well balanced and the splattered paint enables the eye to move around the painting freely and easily.