Jackson Pollock was born in Cody(Wyoming) to Stella Ray and LeRoy Pollock. His parents were of Irish and Scottish-Irish descent respectively. LeRoy Pollock was a farmer and later a land surveyor. Jackson grew up in Arizona and California

Jackson Pollock moved with his brother to New York City. While there, he studied underneath Thomas Hart Benton at the Art Students League, an art school known for catering to both amateurs and professionals

Sometime during the 1940's Pollock became fascinated with Indian Sand Painting. This influence changed his art as he began painting his pictures on the floor and and used different objects to drip paint onto his canvas, including sticks, hardened brushes, and basting syringes. He said it made him more of the painting

during the Great Depression, Jackson worked for the WPA Federal Art Project. It was a visual arts program that supported artists such as Pollock as part of New Deal Works Progress Administration Federal One Program

Jackson Pollock underwent Jungian therapy to help him deal with his alcoholism. He suffered from alcoholism his entire adult life

Jackson Pollock was declared 'The greatest painter this country has produced.' after art critic Clement Greenberg saw the mural Pollock had painted for Peggy Guggenheim’s townhome

Pollock married fellow artist Lee Krasner. Lee Krasner had also worked at the WPA Federal Art Project and she was also an abstract painter

Pollock and his new wife bought a farm house and moved to Long Island, New York. Pollock converted the barn into his studio where he perfected his 'drip painting' technique that became his trademark

Jackson Pollock’s 'drip period.' During this period Pollock was best known for his 'drip painting' technique. It brought him considerable fame

Pollock continued to use his 'drip painting' technique. It brought him considerable fame. At the height of his popularity, Pollock abandoned his drip painting technique all together

Pollock received a four page spread in Life Magazine.

Pollock did not paint but rather took to sculpting. He worked exclusively for Tony Smith. He constructed sculptures out of wire, gauze, and plaster

Pollock crashed his car within one mile of his home while under the influence of alcohol. After his death, Pollock's wife maintained his estate and reputation until she died in 1984