Jackson Pollock - Artist Biography

Born in 1912 in Cody, Wyoming, Jackson Pollock would grow to become one of the most unique and important American artists of the 20th century. Pollock grew up in Arizona and California, eventually moving to Los Angeles where he attended Manual Arts High School. Pollock didn't stay long on the west coast, however, choosing instead to move to New York to pursue his career as an artist.

Pollock: Art and Controversy
Pollock spent most of the early 1930s traveling the county, but he always maintained a home base in New York City. During his travels he studied the murals of Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco, which would have an influence on his own works. In 1934 Pollock began work on the WPA Federal Art Project in New York, which would bring him back to the city on a permanent basis.

In 1943, Pollock had his first solo art show. The exhibition was put on at the Art of This Century Gallery in New York. Peggy Guggenheim, the owner of the gallery, decided to support Pollock's career by signing a contract that would give him financial support and allow him to work unfettered for several years. This was a turning point in Pollock's career, in that it allowed him to be truly free to pursue his own style.

Jackson Pollock's early paintings were reminiscent of the work of Pablo Picasso and the Surrealists. Later in his career he took on his own trademark style which many outside the art community found to be a bit controversial. Many of Pollock's most beautiful paintings can be found in our collection at PosterCheckOut.com.