Jackson pollock was an American born abstract expressionist painter, born in Cody Wyoming in 1912. He studied at the Students League in New York 1929 and is famous for his drip and splash paintings. His early work was ridiculed by art critics but he eventually went on to show the world what is possible with an open mind towards the creative process. Pollock did not use the traditional easel method of creating his paintings opting for a canvas placed on the floor, so he could have the freedom to move around all four sides. Pollock oftain used paint dripped straight from the Can or Tin, sometimes manipulating the paint with a Brush, Stick or Trowel. Pollock tragically died during an alcohol related car crash in Springs New york 1956. Pollock had suffered from Alcoholism through much of his adult life, undergoing Jungian psychotherapy with Dr. Joseph Henderson and later with Dr. Violet Staub de Laszlo in 1941-1942.
Image courtesy of http://yalebooksblog.co.uk/2012/01/20/the-discovery-of-an-american-icon-extract-from-jackson-pollock-by-evelyn-toynton/
Jackson Pollock: “Blue Poles: Number 11, 1952 http://public.wsu.edu/~kimander/pollock.htm
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You can see the size of the canvases used, stretched out on the floor allowing Pollock to make use of all of the canvas.
“My painting does not come from the easel. I prefer to tack the unstretched canvas to the hard wall or the floor. I need the resistance of a hard surface. On the floor I am more at ease. I feel nearer, more part of the painting, since this way I can walk around it, work from the four sides and literally be in the painting”
-Jackson Pollock, My Painting" - Jackson pollock.
You can see the size of the canvases used, stretched out on the floor allowing Pollock to make use of all of the canvas.
“My painting does not come from the easel. I prefer to tack the unstretched canvas to the hard wall or the floor. I need the resistance of a hard surface. On the floor I am more at ease. I feel nearer, more part of the painting, since this way I can walk around it, work from the four sides and literally be in the painting”
-Jackson Pollock, My Painting" - Jackson pollock.
Images of Jackson Pollocks house.
The house was built in 1879 and is a typical example of homes that were built for local fishermen and farmers. It is located in a small hamlet called Springs in the town of East Hampton. The house still contains many of the artifacts were owned by pollock including his hi-fi phonograph, his jazz record collection, and the artists’ personal library.The house is is a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservations, Historic artists homes and studio program. The house is still used as a picture gallery.
The image above shows the wider context of the Pollock house, in quite beautiful surroundings overlooking the Acabonack Harbour.
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A close up view of the house, you can see the studio amongst the trees in the top right hand side of the image.
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Images of the studio.
The studio was originally built to house fishing equipment, it was moved from its original position by Pollock because it blocked his views of the Accobonack Creek. The building had no artificial lighting or heating at the time it was Pollocks and Krasners studio, so the building was winterised and not used during the winter months. In 1952 a new floor covering was put down covering up all of the historical spills and mark from their most productive period. This flooring was removed in the 1987/88 to reveal this wonderful slice of history.