Jackson Pollock

Jackson Pollock painting, Summer 1950, photo: Hans Namuth

Jackson Pollock is a perfect example of an artist who used his artwork to give form to the immaterial.  Pollock created his own original style of painting called his “drip technique”.  His brushes never actually touching the canvas, he used them as a “stick” with which to drip and splatter the paint.  This style created paintings that did not show a particular image at all, but rather pure emotion.  To see Pollock at work, he appears to be having his own conversation between himself with the paint and the canvas.  Preferring to paint with his canvas on the ground, he would walk around it, moving his arms in an intricate dance that only he knew the moves to. 

Born in 1912, Pollock began studying art at the age seventeen under the direction of Thomas Benton in New York.  In his earlier work, he showed aspects of surrealism and cubism.  It was in 1947 that Pollock developed his drip style of painting, and got great recognition in the art world for it.  He continued this style on through 1950. 

Pollock was killed along with his girlfriend when he ran his car off of the road after leaving a party in August of 1956.  Although gone, he has continued to leave his mark in the world of art as a revolutionary and is still influencing artists to this day.

Information on Jackson Pollock found on wikipedia and on webmuseum.  Also, visit The Complete Jackson Pollock for a gallery view of Pollocks works, including his early artworks.    To view an interview and video of Pollock painting filmed by Hans Namuth, visit Youtube.