Who was Jackson Pollock's wife and fellow Abstract Expressionist?

Lee Krasner was Jackson Pollock’s wife and fellow Abstract Expressionist.

Krasner and Pollock met in New York in 1942 and married in October 1945. They moved to The Springs in East Hampton, where they maintained separate studios: Pollock worked in a converted barn, while Krasner often worked in an upstairs bedroom. Their partnership was artistic as well as domestic, with Krasner helping Pollock connect with artists, critics, collectors, and modernist ideas.

Krasner’s own career was frequently overshadowed by Pollock’s fame. She trained with Hans Hofmann, worked for the Works Progress Administration, joined the American Abstract Artists, and developed paintings and collages marked by revision, energetic brushwork, and bold structure. She continued producing important work after Pollock’s death in a 1956 car crash.

The common mistake is to treat Krasner merely as Pollock’s spouse. Museums and later scholarship have emphasized her independent achievement, while her role as executor of Pollock’s estate helped preserve and promote his work. The Pollock-Krasner Foundation was established in 1985 through her bequest.