What inspired Jackson Pollock to paint?

Answer 1

The answer isn't necessarily "who", but "what".

(See painting titled: No. 5)

Jackson Pollock studied the way paint hits a canvas. For example, during the Renaissance, painters studied how to replicate our 3-dimensional world onto a flat canvas with accuracy. Pollock wanted to study how paint can physically sit on top of a canvas, and how the 3-dimensionality of it will appear. He wanted to see how the paint would dry, how the paint would fall on itself, and how different colors would interact.

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Certainly Jackson Pollocks earlier works from the 40's such as 'Guardian's of the secret' & 'she wolf' were strongly influenced by Picasso (whom i feel he absorbed via Arshile Gorky) combined with an influence of Mexicans such as Jose Orozco & David Alfaro Siqueiros. Previous to this he had been under the influence of Tom Benton and not producing anything as interesting. The influence of the art critic Clement Greenberg on the whole New York School, and particularly in reference to the decline of painting in Europe created an environment of possibilities at the right place & the right time. Gorky's death in 1948 also left the way open for Pollock to move into the number 1 spot in America.

Not sure if i agree with the first reply above, i was under the impression that Pollocks main weakness was his drawing skill, this he resolved in the end by drawing 'above' the canvas surface. But maybe i agree with the 'what, not who' as i feel Pollock was most strongly driven by the environment New York artists were creating on the world stage.

Answer 2

The answer isn't necessarily "who", but "what".

(See painting titled: No. 5)

Jackson Pollock studied the way paint hits a canvas. For example, during the Renaissance, painters studied how to replicate our 3-dimensional world onto a flat canvas with accuracy. Pollock wanted to study how paint can physically sit on top of a canvas, and how the 3-dimensionality of it will appear. He wanted to see how the paint would dry, how the paint would fall on itself, and how different colors would interact.

.........................................................................................................................................

Certainly Jackson Pollocks earlier works from the 40's such as 'Guardian's of the secret' & 'she wolf' were strongly influenced by Picasso (whom i feel he absorbed via Arshile Gorky) combined with an influence of Mexicans such as Jose Orozco & David Alfaro Siqueiros. Previous to this he had been under the influence of Tom Benton and not producing anything as interesting. The influence of the art critic Clement Greenberg on the whole New York School, and particularly in reference to the decline of painting in Europe created an environment of possibilities at the right place & the right time. Gorky's death in 1948 also left the way open for Pollock to move into the number 1 spot in America.

Not sure if i agree with the first reply above, i was under the impression that Pollocks main weakness was his drawing skill, this he resolved in the end by drawing 'above' the canvas surface. But maybe i agree with the 'what, not who' as i feel Pollock was most strongly driven by the environment New York artists were creating on the world stage.

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Indian culture and their art like sand-painting was one important source for Pollock. also the Indian mythology influenced him and gave him motifs and subjects to paint. Here one quote bij himself on this matter:

-…I have a definite feeling for the West, the vast horizontality of the land, for instance… …I have always been very impressed with the plastic qualities of American Indian art. The Indians have the true painter's approach in their capacity to get hold of appropriate images, and in their understanding of what constitutes painterly subject-matter. Their colour is essentially Western, their vision has the basic universality of all real art. Some people find references to American Indian art and calligraphy in parts of my pictures. That wasn't intentional; probably (it) was the result of early memories and enthusiasm…

* artist quotes Pollock, from "Art and Architecture" Vol. 61 no. 2, February 1944; as quoted in "Twentieth-century American painting", Gail Levin, The Thyssen-Bornemisza collection. London, 1987, p. 267 (art quotations)

Answer 3

In 1928, he enrolled at Los Angeles' Manual Arts High School, from which he was expelled.

In 1930, following his brother Charles Pollock, he moved to New York City where they both studied underThomas Hart Benton at the Art Students League of New York.

Answer 4

There is usually one and the same answer to those questions 'Why did XXX become an artist?' Because he felt he had the talent and the urge. It is as simple as that!

Answer 5

The Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros.

Answer 6

Janet Sobel. He admitted her work made an impression on him and she used the technique before he did.

Answer 7

Lee Krasner, for one thing.