• Thu. May 15th, 2025

The Official Student Paper of Riverside Poly High School

Jackson Pollock: Artist. Vanguard. Poly Student?

May 15, 2025

Written By: Owen Weems, Editor-in-Chief

REBELLION: Going against the grain was Jackson’s Pollock credo, from his time here Poly until the end of his artistic career.

Plastered on a wall of the Administrative Office, greeting the many students who enter through the Victoria entrance, is the plaque that houses the Bears of Distinction, a list of Poly alumn that have gone on to achieve great things in the fields of art, sports, business, you name it. The faces and small bios displayed for these notables Poly Bears are both a celebration of these hardworking individuals and a also a motivating force, showing students the promise and talent of past students and what they made of their gifts, dedication, and character. Many hope to one day be recognized as Bears of Distinction to be displayed to generations of aspiring students. From business owners and screenwriters, to astronauts and professional athletes, there are all walks of life represented on that board. 

But what if I told you that we are missing one? A leader of the modern art movement and one of the most recognizable names in abstract art, up there with the likes of Pablo Picasso. While not yet one of our Bears of Distinction, Jackson Pollock, American artist credited with the creation of Action Painting style, was a Poly High attendee back before it was Poly High. Our school’s history goes back far, founded originally in 1887, as the first educational center in the Riverside area, except then it was known only as Riverside High School. So it was none other than Riverside High School that he attended until his expulsion in 1928. Jackson Pollock had a rough childhood. With an alcoholic and absentee father, a large number of brothers and sisters that he had to help take care of, and the only parental figure being his mother and older brother, it is not hard to see how he fell into a bad crowd. That is why, after being caught, bottle in hand, brawling with a fellow student, he was expelled from Riverside High School. He wasn’t going to let this stop him. In fact, his expulsion could have been a blessing in disguise. After being kicked out, he transferred to Los Angeles Manual Arts High School, where his delinquency continued, but he was introduced to art as a path forward. Again, he was expelled, but now free from high school, moved to New York where he became one of the biggest artists of the mid twentieth century.

Jackson working in his famous “Action Painting” style.

Jackson Pollock is a prime example of successful Poly attendees. Despite not receiving his diploma, he is in contention for most impactful person to at one point be a student at Riverside/Poly High School. He is proof that a grade does not mean everything. He was not valedictorian; in fact, he was far from it. Yet in the chronicles of art history, he is one of the most recognizable figures. He had a vision for what his future would hold and he reached out his hand to grasp it. Life was a canvas and he filled it. Not everyone’s canvas is going to look the same. There is an endless number of compositions to make. As the seniors look forward to graduation, many are filled with dread about what the future will hold, but just remember that sometimes purpose finds you. Don’t get expelled like Pollock, but use his story to bring you some hope. It is time to grab your brush and start filling your canvas, whether you are off to university or have other plans, let’s start painting!

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