Jackson Pollock

The picture above shows a work done in 1954 by Jackson Pollock titled "White Light." It is an oil drip painting which was a popular medium used by Pollock. He produced many of his works by laying a canvas on the floor of the studio and dripping painting and using other objects like glass, sand, etc. to produce a textured surface to the work. The oil paint can be layered which allowed Pollock to add drizzles of paint on top of others to create his unique works. He has been quoted as saying that he liked to work with the canvas on the floor because "...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." Although this technique may seem like it is random, Pollock insisted that he was purposeful in how he dripped his paint and that everything he did, he did for a reason. Something to note: Pollock was an alcoholic. The fact that he tried to drink away his problems may be connected to the idea that he was "at ease" when working with painting. In other words, much like alcohol, the method of laying the canvas on the ground and "being in the painting" was something that comforted Pollock, which is something that he needed.