Helen Frankenthaler

Date of Birth: December 12, 1928

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Date of Death: December 27, 2011

Biography

Helen Frankenthaler was a pioneering American abstract expressionist painter, born on December 12, 1928, in New York City. She emerged as a prominent figure in the postwar American art scene, renowned for her contribution to the Color Field painting movement. Frankenthaler’s innovative approach to painting, often characterized by her use of the “soak-stain” technique, influenced a generation of artists. This method involved pouring thinned paint onto unprimed canvas, allowing the colors to soak into the fabric and creating a luminous, fluid effect. Frankenthaler was educated at the Dalton School and Bennington College, where she studied under Paul Feeley. Her breakthrough came in 1952 with the creation of “Mountains and Sea,” which, although initially met with mixed reviews, later became a seminal work in abstract art. Throughout her career, she continued to experiment with different media and techniques, constantly evolving her style. She married fellow artist Robert Motherwell in 1958, but the couple divorced in 1971. Frankenthaler continued to produce influential work until her death on December 27, 2011, leaving behind a legacy that profoundly impacted modern art.

5 Interesting Facts about Helen Frankenthaler

1. Helen Frankenthaler’s “soak-stain” technique inspired the Color Field painters such as Morris Louis and Kenneth Noland.

2. She won the National Medal of Arts in 2001, one of the highest honors given to artists in the United States.

3. Frankenthaler was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

4. Her work “Mountains and Sea” (1952) was created when she was just 23 years old.

5. She served on the National Council on the Arts of the National Endowment for the Arts from 1985 to 1992.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Helen Frankenthaler

1. “A really good picture looks as if it’s happened at once.”

2. “There are no rules. That is how art is born, how breakthroughs happen. Go against the rules or ignore the rules. That is what invention is about.”

3. “What concerns me is the ‘how’ of painting. The ‘what’ of it is getting through to the ‘how.’”

4. “I had the landscape in my arms as I painted it. I had the landscape in my mind and shoulder and wrist.”

5. “Every canvas is a journey all its own.”