Jackson Pollock American Abstract Expressionist Painter, 1912 – 1956
Incognito
11 x 14
Oil on Canvas, Palette knife
Self-portraits are challenging for an artist and the only hope is to detach from the subject.
In this painting, I was merely a mannequin in a Masquerade pose. Capturing the light, color and line especially of the mask was my focal interest.
Odalisque with Loom
18 x 24
Oil on Canvas
I found this scene intriguing to the eye and a temptation to paint every detail. The model’s curvaceous body, the graphically rich costume in luscious colors offset by the rough grain of the rattan chair — all could be included.
The challenge was to interpret its opulence without including all the parts.
I focused my canvas on the body’s curvature echoed in the fabric and contrasted this with the right angles of chair, wall and loom.
Rebecca Reclining
20 x 24
Oil on Canvas
This pose is so full of curves that I had to find some way to ground the painting.
Taking support from “Modigliani’s “Nude, Mahogany & Red” a reclining figure in a similar color context, I noted how a few straight lines were used to accomplish this.
I used a horizontal line from the bed, a vertical column and the book as contrast to the curves of figure and folds. In this way, all the elements combine to produce a balanced yet sensual effect.
