Part One: Just Having Some Fun (A story about Jackson Pollack)

Jack stood at the edge of the cliff, and in the early morning fog, thought of his mother’s suicide.

The ocean crashed, below.

Sal stood at a bus stop wondering if he'd ever get back to New York again.

Anye forgave herself, heading east.

So it began fifty or so years ago, that same old magic putting people together, taking them apart. Three souls moved to a spot at the center of the evolving art scene.

The movement of modern art was the direct effect of the work of Jack, who, while living in New York going under the name Jackson Pollack, knew everything was about to change.

Thomas Hart Benton, American muralist and Jackson’s teacher, seeing the coming changes, prepared his student.

The idea was control of the flow of paint as the painter executed his work. Free of lines, and flat spaces, it was the opposite of cubes.

The style of free flowing, which became known as abstract expressionism moved the home base for modern art from Paris and Picasso (who had led the world for decades) to New York where a young crazy guy named Jackson Pollack was claiming the ability to control the flow of paint.

"Jack the Dripper", as he became known, headed up a small group of zanies that lived and worked in New York City in the late forties and early fifties. They built upon the early works of Jackson Pollack and captured the world art scene.

Jackson Pollack died from injuries suffered in a car crash at an early age. His legacy was the last great leap in art, in my opinion.