Margo Nelson

Michael Muir
Art 1010
13 October 2015

Jackson Pollock
Jackson Pollock is said to have been one of the most influential artists
of the 20th century. Much of his art is influenced by the post WWII world and
the Native American experiences of his childhood. He is the father to the
abstract expressionism movement, the art of the last fifty years. Known as
bullish in his adult life, he fought with anti-social behavior throughout his
entire life. Pollocks early life was tumultuous and he struggled to find
meaning. While Pollock began with the surrealist style of painting, he is best
known for his drip painting method. He liked this more organic way of
painting and said that it allowed him to get acquainted with his paintings
because they had a life of [their] own.
As a child Paul Jackson Pollock is said to have been needy, demanding
a lot of attention, which often went unquenched. In The Essential Jackson
Pollock, Justin Spring describes Pollocks childhood behavior as withdrawn,
depressed and nonverbal. He was also known to have extreme mood
swings and did not relate well to others.
In his teenage years he continued with these antisocial behaviors and
was kicked out of Manual Arts High School twice in the same year. Pollock, in
a letter to his brother, says of his youth, This so-called happy part of ones

life, youth, to me is a bit of damnable hell. If I could come to some

conclusion about myself and life, perhaps then I could see something to work
for. (Spring, p.23) These anti-social behaviors continued into his adult life
and professional career.
He was an alcoholic and was treated for mental illness. His therapist,
Dr. Joseph L. Henderson, admitted his failure to treat Pollock for alcoholism
may have been because he was so impressed at Pollocks ability to express
himself through painting and art. His brother Charles Pollock identifies this
time period as dropping the Benton nonsense and coming out with an
honest creative art. (Spring, p.38) Pollocks wife described his temperament
in this way, whatever Jackson felt, he felt more intensely than anyone Ive
known; when he was angry, he was angrier; when he was happy, he was
happier; when he was quiet, he was quieter. It is thought that his extreme
temperament is due to his childhood and family life.
Jackson Pollock (born Paul Jackson Pollock) was the youngest of five
boys. His parents were LeRoy and Stella May McClure Pollock. His father
was a farmer who had a hard time maintaining a steady job resulting in
moving throughout the western United States. According to Spring, Pollock
lived in six different homes within his first ten years, from California to
Arizona and back again. His father eventually got a job as a land surveyor in
California. According to biography.com, Jackson Pollock-Biography, his
mother was a fierce woman. Spring describes her as difficult, controlling
and ambitious. Pollock, referring to his psychological health described her

as castrating. (Spring, p.13) It was his mother, however, that set Pollock
on the path to becoming an artist.
In October, 1945, Pollock married artist Lee Krasner. She is credited
with much of Pollocks success. She served as his manager and organized
his life. They moved to a small farm in the East Hamptons on Long Island.
This allowed Pollock to live close to New York but gave him a quiet place to
work away from the crowds. While living here Pollock was able to break free
of his alcoholism and find peace. This quiet life was short lived however, and
Pollock went back to drinking. Pollock and Krasner eventually separated. It
was not long after this separation that Pollock died after crashing his car into
a tree. He died in August 1956.
I think Pollocks most significant piece of art was Mural. It was
commissioned by Peggy Guggenheim as a piece of art for the entrance of her
home. It measured 8 x 19 10 on canvas. I see this painting as a
gateway from Pollocks surrealist paintings to his development of his drip
paintings and abstract expressionism.
Mural makes me think of dancing. It is like a crowd of people
somehow moving together. The use of blue and yellow overpower the black
lines and brighten what would otherwise be darkness. Surprisingly this
painting invokes a sort of peace even though it is somewhat chaotic.

Resources
Beach, Justin. "The Advantages of Popular Sovereignty." EHow. Demand Media, n.d.
Web. 07 Oct. 2015. <http://www.ehow.com/info_8135302_advantages-popularsovereignty.html>.
Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.biography.com/people/jackson-pollock-9443818>.
"Jackson Pollock Biography, Art, and Analysis of Works." The Art Story. N.p., n.d. Web.
13 Oct. 2015. <http://www.theartstory.org/artist-pollockjackson.htm#biography_header>.