PROTAGONIST POLLACK

Study of the Masters continued:

This week we are going to dive into the legacy of 

Jackson Pollack!

Jackson Pollock was an American painter who was a leading exponent of Abstract Expressionism. He is also one of the first American painters to be recognized as a Master of Modern Art. He was widely publicized for and received serious recognition for the radical poured or "dripped" technique he used to create his major works.

Jackson Pollock was not without his various demons which also contributed to his deeply personal and uncompromising commitment to painting.  He was described as gentle and contemplative when sober, violent when drunk. These extremes found a equilibrium in his art.

Pollock was his own worst enemy. He was an alcoholic and suffered from major depression. At his brother's insistence, he saw a psychoanalyst who suggested to him that he would benefit from the concepts of Carl Jung and use that in his artwork as therapy. He was motivated and inspired to use those concepts for the rest of his painting career. He moved to New York City and worked at the WPA Federal Art Project.  He signed a gallery contract with Peggy Gugenheim and was commissioned to paint a 8 x20 foot painting, Mural, for her entryway in her townhouse. This marked an important transitional point in Pollock's artistic career.

He met and married Lee Krasner and with her extensive knowledge and training in modern art, brought Pollock up to date on what contemporary art should be. She was responsible for introducing him to many collectors, critics and artist of his time. It was her judgement of his work that he trusted above all others. it has been said there would never have been Jackson Pollock without Lee Pollock. 

Pollock being the reclusive type, chose to move to the country in Spring City, New York. where he would go on to create his greatest work. This place is where he refined his technique of painting and discovered his famous "drip" method. 

Sadly, to note, he and Lee divorced years later as his infidelities and alcoholism became more than she could bare.

And yet, in this idyllic place, he wrestled with his demons and his critics daily. His work was fresh and provocative but his name was not among the critical work of the artists who had gained a prominent position in the world of art. Fame eluded him. His critics viewed his art as mere unorganized explosions of random energy and therefore meaningless...saying "this is not art---this is a joke in bad taste." And still in spite of what was being said of his work, he continued to fuel his passion to paint.

He discovered his "drip" technique by accident 

as he was painting one day and unintentionally splattered paint on the canvas. He used hardened brushes, sticks, and even basting syringes to create the effect he desired. He used the force of his whole body to paint. Pollock would move energetically around his canvas almost as if he were in a dance and would not stop until he saw what he wanted to see.

He was quoted as saying, " When I am in my painting, I am not aware of what I am doing. I have no fear of making changes, destroying images, because the painting has a life of its own. There is a pure harmony, an easy give and take, and the painting comes out well."

Life Magazine did a four-page spread of his work which finally brought him the acclaimed notoriety he was looking for. In the article they gave him the name "Jack the Dripper". 

In 1950, Hans Namuth, a young photographer filmed Pollack while he was painting to give people a view of how the now famous art was created. 

He said after the experience, "He completely forgot I was there. He did not even hear the click of the camara. He painted for a half an hour. He did not stop. How could one keep up that level of activity? Finally, Pollock looked up and said, this is it." 

In 1956, Pollock was killed in a tragic automobile accident caused by driving under the influence of alcohol. The accident happened less than a mile from his house. 

He became a model of an artist that successfully fused art with life. He believed that art was derived from the subconscious and saw himself the essential subject of his paintings. He judged his work on its inherent authenticity of personal expression.

Here is my Jackson Pollock Creation:

I found as I was creating this art piece there was no particular rules to follow and as I continued adding color and digitally "dripped" the images, a pattern began to form as if on its own. I have never created art like this before and found it very liberating, and as Pollock would have said himself, "the technique was very free and subconsciously flowing"! 

I hope you experience the same feeling as I did when you create your own Pollock Masterpiece. I cannot wait to see what you will come up with!