Jackson Pollack was a complex man who brought many things into the forefront of impressionism. Although he led a very short life of 44 years he was known as one of the pioneers of abstract impressionism. His abstract painting techniques and unhealthy psychological being made him very sought after, studied and critiqued. Within his complexity came out a brilliant artist that was widely considered the most influential painter of the 20th century. .
Pollack's first documented adventure into the art world was in 1929 when he began to study painting at the Art Students" League in New York City. Jackson, by this time in his life had already become a full-blown alcoholic. His brother, Sanford who taught as an apprentice at the school, was living with him in 1937 while Jackson continued attending school, wrote to Charles Beard a family friend.
Jack has been having a very difficult time with himself. This past .
year has been a succession of periods of emotional instability for .
him which is usually expressed by a complete loss of responsibility .
both to himself and to us. Accompanied, of course with drinking. .
It came to the point where it was obvious that the man needed help. .
He was mentally sick. So I took him to a well recommended .
Doctor, a Psychiatrist, who has been trying to help the man find .
himself. As you know troubles such as his are very deep-rooted, .
in childhood usually, and it takes a long while to get them ironed .
out. He has been going some six months now and I feel there is .
a slight improvement in his point of view.
Jackson Pollock was a very troubled man with deep personal issues. He tried to express himself through his paintings, his only release valve for his troubles and issues. He had had troublesome behavior from the time he was an adolescent and had already developed a drinking problem by the age of sixteen. By the age of twenty-five he had been in a car accident which was his fault, and had been arrested in Martha's Vineyard for drunkenness and disturbing the peace.
