Flowing With Frankenthaler

Modern art really appeals to students. Find out how Abstract Expressionists approach their work—and explore how artists, paint, and paper interact!

• 1.

  One must be oneself whatever. Is this a contemporary quote from a teenager or a rock star? Actually, New York artist Helen Frankenthaler said it, and her life reflects that belief. Born on December 12, 1928, Frankenthaler decided that she wanted to be an artist when she was 15. She studied, traveled, and hung out with young artists called Abstract Expressionists. The work of these artists was primarily abstract shapes closely tied to their feelings.

• 2.

  When Frankenthaler was 24, she invented a new way to create paintings. Like other artists of the time, rather than paint upright on an easel, her canvas was placed on the floor. This way the art had no top or bottom and all views were of equal importance. Frankenthaler poured the paint on the raw canvas, letting the liquid soak in, leaving some parts stained deeply and others only slightly colored. She pushed paint around with a sponge or brush, balancing the spontaneity of the "spill" with the control of her eye, color choice, and manipulations. She thinned the paint to alter the hues and give her paintings a luminous quality. What other artists, such as Jackson Pollock and Willem De Kooning, painted in a similar manner? Compare and contrast their work to Frankenthaler's.

• 3.

  Most of Helen Frankenthaler's paintings are landscapes. Many were done on very large canvases, as big as the great outdoors. She once said of a painting "I know the landscapes were in my arms as I did it." Think of a landscape that you seem to have in your arms.

• 4.

  Cover the floor with newspaper. Place large sheets of white paper on the newspaper. Thin Crayola Tempera Paint with water to various dilutions of color. Pour the paint on the paper. Watch how it moves, and where it is absorbed. Use a sponge or Crayola Paint Brush to control the paint. Try other types of paper to see how they absorb paint in different ways.

• 5.

  With Frankenthaler's work, it is impossible to tell which was the first color poured, or where the painting started. There is no fixed background or foreground. The images seem to float over the surface of the canvas. Is this happening to your work?

Benefits

• Students research the life and body of work of Abstract Expressionist Helen Frankenthaler.
• Children become familiar with Frankenthaler's soak-stain technique, and compare and contrast it with techniques used by other Abstract Expressionists.
• Students experiment with Frankenthaler's method of painting to better understand the role of Abstract Expressionism in modern art.

Adaptations

• Discuss why Helen Frankenthaler is not a better-known artist. She is an international painter who has won prizes and competitions for many years. What factors might have influenced this? What do you think could make her more famous?
• Make a list of words to describe Frankenthaler's works of art. Use these words to write a poem. Place the poem beside your paintings for an exhibition.
• Try this same method of painting on canvas to experience her method of creating more closely.
• Study New York during the height of Abstract Expressionism. Learn more about specific artists. What qualities do they share? What stylistic traits make their work distinguishable?