1.  Born in Cody, Wyoming in 1912  Grew up in California  Attended the Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles  Spent his adult life in New York, studying art and painting  Died in 1956 and is considered as one of the great artists of the 20 th century

2.  Note that this painting has recognizable subject matter.  What is the subject matter of this painting?

3. The Key (1946) 59 x 84 inches Stenographic Figure (1942) 40 x 56 inches  Jackson Pollock was very interested in the artwork of other modern artists like Picasso.  Pollock was also influenced by the art of American Indians.  Pollock’s work became increasingly abstract, and he started developing his own style with a focus on colors, shapes, and symbols.  What symbols or representational shapes do you see in these paintings?

4.  Do you see any identifiable subject matter in this painting? What do you see?  What title would you give this painting?  How do you think Jackson Pollock created this painting? Autumn Rhythm (1950) – 105 x 207 inches

5.  Jackson Pollock walked around a large canvas on the floor. With rhythmical movements, he dripped, poured, and flung paint onto the canvas.  He was inspired by the creative nature of jazz music.  Pollock felt that he was part of the painting that he was creating and that the painting reflected his feelings and his energy.  Color and line were more important than identifiable subject matter (Abstract Expressionism).

6. Jackson Pollock at work in his studio in New York

7. One: Number 31 (1950) – Museum of Modern Art

8. Number 8 (1949)  All of these paintings reflect the spontaneous nature of Pollock’s “action painting.”  In what ways do these paintings look different from each other, and how does each painting make us feel differently? Blue Poles, No. 11 (1952) Number 18 (1950)