Jackson Pollock

Jackson Pollock was born in 1912 in Cody, Wyoming, and by 1950 was famous for his unusual painting methods and their striking results. Pollock would place a large canvas on the floor and walk around it, adding paint and sometimes sand and other natural materials. This allowed him to feel as if he were part of the painting.

Pollock's later works are mostly titled with numbers because he did not want others to have preconceived impressions of his work. Instead, he wanted the viewer to apply his or her own perspective.

For decades people have loved his work. His 1973 painting "Blue Poles" has been on display at the National Gallery of Australia and is now valued at $100 - $150 million. In 2006, Pollock's "Number 5, 1948" sold at auction for $140 million and became the world's most expensive painting. Sadly, Pollock's life and work were cut short when he was killed in an alcohol-related car accident at the age of 44.