I finally got the chance to paint a crow, something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. A crow’s size, and inky appearance, conjure intrigue and curiosity without even trying—perfect fodder for a good story. Hence, (excuse the pun), the draw to paint a crow. Learning of the crow’s meaning and symbolism, it got even better. Transformation, change, and freedom. There’s definitely a story here. I love when that happens.
I have a friend who likes to pepper me with questions about the meaning behind an artist’s work. During one such barrage, he called up several famous paintings on his iPhone and asked what they meant. As if I, belonging to this exclusive club myself, have the ability to decode that which is too complicated and erudite for mere mortals to comprehend. He was clearly operating under the assumption that artists exist on a separate plane from where, “normal people” reside—may the force be with me. This would’ve been an excellent opportunity for me to wax clever, insightful, and, well, on a separate plane from where “normal people” reside… but I didn’t do that. You see, the artwork he called up on his iPhone was none other than Jackson Pollock.
What’s even more interesting than that little morsel, is the fact that my inquisitor is an electrical engineer PhD, and works with the design and implementation of cutting-edge computer chips… in other words, he exists on a separate plane from where “normal people” reside.
I did, however, do my best to dance around the edges of interpreting abstract impressionism for him and keep my place on that separate plane from where “normal people” reside. I can’t give away all the secrets, I’d lose my membership to the club. Besides, what I don’t know won’t hurt him.