Helen Frankenthaler is a New York-born post-painterly abstraction artist who actively contributed to the Abstract Art Movement of 1946 to 1960. She was married to Robert Motherwell, another Abstract Expressionist painter, from 1958 until 1971. Her work incorporates two major aspects - her suggestion of naturalism and modernism. In her art, Frankenthaler builds up a strong relationship between surface and image, having the specifics of paint as a medium. Stain painting is the stamp of Frankenthaller's style, she can be mystically transcendental, tender and soft, quietly reflective or explosively lyrical.
Helen Frankenthaler was born the youngest daughter of a judge, in 1928. She pursued her formal studies at Bennington College where she got a strong foundation in Cubism from artist Paul Feeley. She received extra art education in the studios of Hans Hoffman, Wallace Harrrison and Ruffino Tamayo. In 1950 Frankenthaler was introduced to contemporary painting by Clement Greenberg, an influential art critic. Clement Greenberg was a significant influence on Frankenthaler. In 1951, Frankenthaler was chosen by Adolph Gottlieb for a prominent New Talent exhibition. In New York later that year, she had her maiden solo show.
An important catalyst for the evolution of Helen Frankenthaler's style was the art of Jackson Pollock. The showing of Frankenthaler's painting 'Mountains and Sea' in 1952 launched her career. In this painting she introduced her 'soak stain' technique of painting straight on to an unprimed canvas. She mixed oil paint with kerosene or turpentine to heavily dilute it and make the colors penerate into the canvas quickly. By virtually fusing background with figure, this revolutionary abstract art technique of Frankenthaler's made it impossible to separate one from the other. In addition, the technique enabled the spontaneous creation of composite forms.
The influence of abstract expressionist painters like Arshile Gorkhy and Jackson Pollock did not stop Frankenthaler from developing her own unique abstract art style. In her own words "I've explored a variety of directions and themes over the years. But I think in my painting you can see the signature of one artist, the work of one wrist". Frankenthaler's large-scale stain paintings earned her great reviews.
In 1960, the technique of 'Color Field Painting'(a painting style featuring large areas or fields of color) was utilized in reference to Frankenthaler's work. The year also saw Frankenthaller making prints for the first time. 'Essence Mulberry', one of her greatly succesful pieces is also one of her most important abstract art works.
Frankenthaler as an abstract artist has achieved much beyond the traditional roles of a woman. Her abstract art works, which continue to incorporate her stain technique have been commended for their lyrical features.
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