Phenomena - Katherine Wheel, 1969

A painter of the abstract expressionist vein, Paul Jenkins is renowned for his unorthodox approach to paint application and control upon the canvas – he eventually ceased to use a paintbrush, and would instead manipulate his paint with the use of an ivory knife. Jenkins was initially inspired by the works of Jackson Pollock and Mark Tobey and took a great interest in eastern mysticism – a theme that permeated his work: always open to interpretation, rarely easy to make sweeping generalisations about. One of Jenkins most famous works, Phenomena Anderson, serves as a prime example of his ability to manipulate the outcome of the paint; his choice to abandon the paintbrush allowed him to coerce the paint into pooling or rolling across the canvas, creating fields of abstract colour. Jenkins began his working life in a ceramics factory, a job that always stayed with him and provided the inspiration for his substantial means of painting. (Artist website)