Western painting critic Robert Coates. Abstract expressionism, Action painting, and Color Field painting are synonymous with the New York School. Technically Surrealism was an important predecessor for Abstract expressionism with its emphasis on spontaneous, automatic or subconscious creation. Jackson Pollock's dripping paint onto a canvas laid on the floor is a technique that has its roots in the work of André Masson. Another important ear<nowiki>ly m</nowiki>anifestation of what came to be abstract expressionism is the work of American Northwest artist Mark Tobey, especially his "white writing" canvases, which, though generally not large in scale, anticipate the "all over" look of Pollock's drip
Richard S. Johnson (artist) Johnson has also made portraits of historical personalities, such as former US president John F. Kennedy and former NASA administrator Richard H. Truly. His portrait of JFK now hangs at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Massachusetts. He was also commissioned to create a commemorative painting honoring former US presidents. The painting is currently on display at the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition in Washington, D.C. Richard S. Johnson (artist) Richard S. Johnson is an award-winning contemporary American painter based in Chicago, Illinois. Johnson was born in Chicago to a family of artists. While