If you walked by Maxwell Hall last Thursday afternoon, you probably saw people standing in the yard slinging, flinging and dripping colorful house-paint onto large canvasses. Though their painting style may have seemed entirely random, you might be surprised to know how much structure and planning lies behind the splatters and spills that flew from their swinging paintbrushes.
“Action Painting” was hosted by Creative Campus as part of their “Nights at Maxwell” series. The event was open to the public and free to attend. The evening began with a presentation given by Tom Wegrzynowski, a professor of studio art and art history at The University of Alabama, about the origins of action painting and its most famous artist, Jackson Pollock. Then, participants were able to test their newfound knowledge of this abstract technique.
“It was good to learn about Pollock’s art styles and to learn that it was not just a bunch of random mess on a painting—it was actually structured in a certain way,” said Jackson Dean, a freshman majoring in business. “To actually try to duplicate that was very interesting.”
According to Wegrzynowski, two styles of art influenced Pollock’s action painting: Cubism and automatism. Cubism is an art style built upon geometric shapes, and automatism is an art style that eliminates conscious thought and relies on the actions of the subconscious. Though his paintings seem to be nothing more than the result of haphazard paint hurling, Pollock established a structure and pattern at the base of his paintings and then strewed paint at will in this systematized manner. The result is a painting that is pleasing to the eye because of both its symmetry and its intricacy.
“Our instructor chose more of a grid pattern, and we chose more of a spiral pattern, which was pretty effective,” Dean said. “It’s a pretty beautiful work of art.”
Creative Campus put on this particular event because they wanted to provide access to a form of art that students and community members wouldn’t be able to experience otherwise.
“This event was valuable because it provided students and community members with the opportunity to learn about and engage with an interesting art form in a free, fun and low-stress environment,” said Danny Pelavin, a senior majoring in history and political science who interns for Creative Campus.
Participants enjoyed the many different appeals of this art form.
“It helped my stress levels, and I got to meet different people,” said Takebanee Hill, a UA graduate who studied early childhood education.
The event provided free entertainment and insight into the methods behind the famous work of a renowned artist. “Action Painting” was the finale of the “Nights at Maxwell” series, but Creative Campus still has more events lined up for the semester. They are also hosting “A Taste of Alabama” tonight at 7 p.m.
