An Early Pollock Splashes an Ocean-front Home

posted July 14th, 2014 by

I got a call from a friend who had a friend who needed a painting. It had to be just the right painting to finish out a years-long home remodel, situated on a Southern California bluff over the ocean named for its peace, the Pacific.

Hammond-exterior

The approach from the street reflects and announces the symmetry of the home, the understated elegance, the attention to line and pattern and plane. Even the wide stone pavers are perfectly level with no off-throwing tilt for drainage (the drainage is allowed for by small spaces between the stone and then handled subterraneously).

Hammond-interior

I didn’t even photograph the opposite wall, which is all glass, overlooking the ocean. This view, however, gives an idea of the continued sense of space, the light, and highly subdued, effective, and even rigid color scheme. A designer’s masterpiece.

Fireplace

One area, however, was not yet complete: a rolling panel above the fireplace that hides the flat screen TV. The designer had suggestions (more monochrome) but the lady of the house had other ideas.

Pollock-Copy-650

That’s when she came across an Internet rendition of an early Jackson Pollock and thought, “That would be the perfect solution.” And that’s when I came in.

It’s my painting, shown here. It’s not my style at all, you’ll say. No, it’s a copy. And, but for some proportional changes, it’s a faithful copy. You’ll also say it’s not even Jackson Pollock’s style. But actually it is, or was, before he discovered his dripping and splashing approach that made him famous.

Pollock-w-Ink-Print

While Pollock might have been free spirited with his line and color and brushwork, my approach was much more careful. I was copying. But the copy still needed a fidelity to the original exuberance, attention to color, the whimsy of shape. With care for perfect dimension and clean edges to match the home’s severity of line, there’s an otherwise wild and almost childish expression about it all. And it’s the only color in the house!

Pollock-with-owner

People are agreeing, the painting adds to the overall soul. Here’s the lady of the house, the one with the brainchild, now absolutely loving the result.

It was an unusual project, a wild idea, but it came off. For me, the greatest part was to share the joy of the new owners as this last touch completed their beautiful space.

12 Comments

  1. Lisa Jul 14, 2014
    1:28 pm

    This is just perfect Hyatt! You did an amazing job! Excellent! Love this home! Great results! Blessings! Lisa

  2. Rita Hopper Jul 14, 2014
    1:38 pm

    The perfect painting for that house!
    A unique house too…

  3. Constance Hubbard Jul 14, 2014
    1:53 pm

    Beautiful work Hyatt. Really love the work and Pollock.
    Do more only yours in abstraction!!

  4. Svetlana VanderHeyden Jul 14, 2014
    1:53 pm

    Hyatt, you did very good job even copying. It looks beautiful. Everything is done with taste. Svetlana.

  5. Deborah Harold Jul 14, 2014
    2:36 pm

    I see some Picasso in your piece too, very well done!
    It looks fabulous in the home.

  6. Rhonda Eubanks Jul 14, 2014
    3:25 pm

    LOVE LOVE LOVE

  7. Bruce B Jul 14, 2014
    5:02 pm

    WOWEE! KOOL .. You got a sexy B R G Jag, now yur doin Pollock.. What’s next young man, goin for the Sr Citizen astronaut program!?
    (,)) bb

  8. Don Sterrenburg Jul 14, 2014
    5:02 pm

    A handsome commission, albeit a bit contrived. I have no aversion to copying the best, but Pollack’s early work seems a shade sophomoric to grace such a sophisticated remodel. Give me the dreamy verve of Chagall’s ‘The Birthday’, or Miro’s ‘Sociophy’, or Klee’s ‘Bird Garden’ — or, best yet, the splash and dash of any work from Hyatt Moore’s own vivacious palette.

  9. Rocky Jul 14, 2014
    5:06 pm

    Brilliant!!

  10. Pastor Adam Barton Jul 16, 2014
    6:44 am

    Nice work here Hyatt! Always enjoy seeing what you’re up to.
    Pastor Adam Barton,
    Akron, Ohio

  11. Jane Ice Jul 22, 2014
    7:34 am

    Hyatt,

    Your creative genius never ceases to amaze, amuse and delight me. You’ve always got something new in the works.
    Do keep me smiling with your phenomenal creative energy.

    Luv ya, Jane

  12. Carmen E. Richards Aug 6, 2014
    8:20 am

    Congratulations Hyatt! What a privilege to be the only color in that extraordinary house. Love it. We are back in WA State, in process of building our modest retirement home and I look forward to hanging my Hyatt Moore “Christ From Above” (giclee) in our new home this fall. Blessings! C