Steir like Rothko and Pollock:

Steir's work resembles a combination of Jackson Pollock's and Mark Rothko's work. Steir adds the element of drip paining, but with the furor and movement that is in Pollock's splatter paintings. She also deals with shapes and undefined shaped as Rothko did. Steir seems to have combined to two and created a new and fun style unlike any other.

Jackson Pollock: Number 1

Mark Rothko: Number 10

Pat Steir: Alphabet Primary

Selected Works:

Berlin Waterfall

Double Dragon Waterfall

Waterfall Like An Etching

Winter Paintings

Summer Moon

Steir in the process of a drip painting:

Her Process:

Pat begins with a mark of any kind and builds off of it. She is inspired by the mark and lets that mark guide the direction of the rest of the piece. She then builds signs and symbols with the lines, shapes, and marks. These all add up and create an interesting composition of overlapping and integrated shapes and lines. Her marks are not planned and precise, but free and moving. They seem to swept and are unguided. She lets the pen, brush, or whatever material she is using go its own direction. She will drip, splash, or even through paint or ink onto a canvas. There is no limit to mark making in her work. She explores the study of line and the different ways that it can be provoked on the page. She embraces the role of chance in her art. She has learned not to plan and let the work arise as it is being created. Pat removes herself from her work, not wanted her own views and ego to stand in the way of the piece talking for itself. In Steir's drip paintings she has removed herself from the outcome completely by letting gravity control the outcome of the paint. She only places the paint at the top of the canvas, and gravity does the rest. She gathers inspiration from 8th and 9th century prints an ink splashes from China. Pat uses color to evoke layers and depth. She combines layer after layer of paint to create a dimensional and deep work. A quote from her says, "I can’t do it again. I can’t replicate it even if I know what happened. That’s the pleasure of it.” She is referring to the fact that even if she knows the process, she can not replicate a piece and the shapes and lines that turn out from her unconventional process. 

Pat's Style and Meaning:

Pat combines lines, shapes, brushstrokes, color blocking, pant drips, and scratching and hatching to create interesting compositions and plans. She makes things that don't make sense or have meaning, leaving it up to the viewer to interpret each and every piece for themselves. Her artwork is open ended, allowing the viewer to take part in the image by adding in their thoughts and ideas. Her pieces will mean something different to everyone who views it. She has taken herself and her ideas out of the picture and left an image open to interpretation.

Born and Raised:

Pat Steir was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1940. She went to Pratt University from 1956 to 1958, and then transferred to Boston University College of Fine Arts from 1958 to 1960. She returned to Pratt University to receive her BFA in 1962.