88
PARTISAN REVIEW
paintings, did he use a limited range of colors? After
The Key
he
begins to use a completely different palette from the high-key Fauve
color of the early forties.
Lee Krasner:
Why he shifts from one thing to another I couldn't say.
Even in those commercial paints, there is quite a range of color. I
would pick one color, and he would pick quite another. Color is a
very personal thing. He had a choice within the range of commercial
paints. He certainly never used the full range that existed. He chose
what he wanted.
Barbara Rose:
Do you have any idea why he used silver paint? Was that
radiator enamel?
Lee Krasner:
I think it can be used on radiators, or pipes, or anything
else. No, I have no idea why he used it. As a matter of fact, it came up
quite recently. I think it was O 'Connor who dug up some literature
that Pollock read when he was involved with Eastern philosophy.
He came up with an illustration of something that was very heavily
dripped.
If
Pollock had seen that, it would mean he was aware of
silver paint as well as the so-called "drip" way back somewhere. I can
remember O'Connor saying that it was conceivable Pollock had read
this pamphlet before he came East.
It
could have been something
that he was aware of way back in California.
Barbara Rose:
Did he ever speak about materials?
Lee Krasner:
Rarely. I think he had read quite a bit about technique
because in his library there were books about it. In fact, I still leave
his books in Springs. So he was conscious and aware of the technical
aspects of painting. But he would also say that you could not deal
too much with the technique; there are certain basic rules you have
to know, and then forget it.
Barbara Rose:
Do you have any idea why he used crushed glass in his
paintings?
Lee Krasner:
He didn't use all that much . It was for a very short time.
Texture interested him. Crushed glass created texture.
Barbara Rose:
Did you ever observe him painting?
Lee Krasner:
Yes. I saw him painting the mural on Eighth Street. I saw
him painting
Number
7, and
Number
8, and
Moon Woman.
So I saw
him paint before he moved out to the barn. Out in East Hampton,
when he was in the barn, I saw him paint there too. When he called
me in, I would see what he had done. He might start
to
work while I
was there.
Barbara Rose:
He would call you in when he wanted to reflect on
something?
