To say that Jackson Pollock took a different approach to painting would be a colossal understatement. He often painted on the floor and rarely used a paintbrush. Sticks, knives, and virtually any other object that could distribute paint would be used. He defied the rules of art at the time and this made him one of the greatest artists of his era.
1. Millions and Millions
In 2006, one of Pollock’s paintings became the most expensive painting every purchased. No. 5 1948 sold for $140 million at auction. Since then 4 other paintings have eclipsed this price, but only two of them are from modern era painters: Pablo Picasso and Mark Rothko.
2. An Interesting Game
Jackson Pollock may have preferred alternative painting tools because of a childhood accident. One day while he was 4 years old, Pollock decided to play with a hatchet. That decision led him to chop of the end of one of his fingers.
3. Mixed Mediums
Although the striping and pooling of paint was considered his signature style, Pollock was multidimensional as a painter. He was even known to mix mediums from time to time with his paintings. He would sometimes add broken glass to a painting or even just directly paint on cold glass from time to time.
4. Let’s Remodel
Pollock was working on a 20 foot canvas one day and realized that his studio didn’t have enough room to accommodate the painting. Instead of taking the work outdoors or changing his approach, Pollock took a novel approach – he knocked down a wall so that the room could be big enough.
5. Expelled Twice
Pollock is also proof that knowing who you are and what you can do are the most important things needed in the pursuit of a dream. To say that he wasn’t a very good student during his younger years would be an understatement. He was expelled twice from high schools before eventually being sent to live with his brother.
Jackson Pollock changed the way that we view modern art. He stopped naming his paintings because he wanted people to see the painting in their own way. These facts and many others guarantee that Pollock will always be one of the world’s most famous artists.
