jackson pollock dissected

Not literally. His work has been explained by fractal analysis, which I think is really cool. Check out the latest from "Nature": Fractals and Art: In the Hands of a Master .

Not that I know what fractal analysis is, really. It's just cool to know that there is a mathematical pattern in his work. What I'm still not clear on is whether the fractal pattern that is found in Pollock's work contributes to its mesmerizing nature.

For those of you who poopoo abstract art, ha! Perhaps those of us who like it are ok with making sense of it at a more abstract level. It's very much like classical music, I think, and unless you study it or create it, you can appreciate it without knowing exactly why. It's not all about being able to talk about it or name what it is or be able to verbalize what you get out of it. Abstract art is not about saying "it looks like a..." Obviously there is a fine line between what is art and what is not, and I guess it is defined, at least on a personal level, as something that does something to you, even if you do not verbalize what it is.

Oh, that reminds me of a quote from the current book (Murakami's Kafka on the Shore): "But listening to the D major [Schubert's Sonata in D Major], I can feel the limits of what humans are capable of- that a certain type of perfection can only be realized through a limitless accumulation of the imperfect. And personally, I find that encouraging."

So, that's a little bit about Pollock, too, that the sum of all of his squiggles amount to something that is rather perfect. He perfected that style. This Murakami quote is very abstract, in and of itself. That's the hallmark of Murakami's writing because he plays with the subconscious. Good book, by the way, but more on that later.

i'm back, baby

Your Candy Heart Says "Get Real"

You're a bit of a cynic when it comes to love. You don't lose your head, and hardly anyone penetrates your heart. Your ideal Valentine's Day date: is all about the person you're seeing (with no mentions of v-day!) Your flirting style: honest and even slightly sarcastic What turns you off: romantic expectations and "greeting card" holidays Why you're hot: you don't just play hard to get - you are hard to get

What Does Your Candy Heart Say?