way. He attached his canvases to the wall or floor dancing around them attacking it from all four sides. He would use about anything but a paintbrush to apply the paint to the canvas. He most often stood over the work slinging paint with sticks, trowels, or knives. He would also embed things onto his painting surface such as sand or broken glass giving in texture, depth, or both. Jackson had an exceptional interest in sand paintings. He had studied about the Southwest Indians that made sand paintings as a ritual to heal an unhealthy or diseased person. Jackson actually witnessed a sand painting ceremony and was most interested. Also when he painted he would drip and splatter many, many layers onto one another making the surface of the paint very think. Jackson was quoted sayingWhen I am in my painting. Im not aware of what Im doing. It is only after a sort of "get acquainted" period that I see what I have been about. I have no fears about making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise there is pure harmony, an easy give and take, and the painting comes out well."5 Jackson had many strong ideals about what a painting was about, and his working methods allowed him to bring these ideals to life. He was also quoted saying,"I can walk around it, work from the four sides, and really be in the painting."6From the late 30s to the Early 40s Jackson was treated, and psychoanalyzed by several different doctors all bringing different results, yet none were the cure to the disturbing antics of Pollock. In 1938 Jackson was hospitalized for medical and psychiatric treatment of acute alcoholism. Once again Sanford wrote to Charles BeardFor a few months after his release he showed improvement. But it didnt last and we had to get help again. He has been seeing adoctor more less...
