Context begins with other artists - seniors and mentors.
I met David Smith through my former wife, Cornelia, who'd studied with him.
I think of painting without subject matter as music without words.
Pollock was well known, certainly, but for all the wrong reasons. He was known as much for being wild and unconventional in his working methods as for being a great artist.
I've also been willing to share any help that I could give to any other artist.
Usually I throw away what I don't get right the first time.