Jackson Pollock moved to a farmhouse on Long Island in the 1940s and invented drip painting in a converted barn. Researchers found his paintings contain fractal patterns like those in nature. Psychologist Mark Berman's work shows time in natural environments restores attention and reduces stress.
In the mid-1940s, the artist Jackson Pollock was falling apart. He was living in New York City, drinking heavily, struggling with depression. His art felt stuck. His life felt stuck. So he and his partner, the painter Lee Krasner, made a decision. They left the city for a farmhouse in Springs, Long Island. They were surrounded by fields, trees, and open sky. Something shifted. In that quiet, natural setting, Working in a barn he converted into a studio, the artist developed a new painting technique. It would make him one of the most famous artists of the 20th century. Researchers later noticed the patterns in his paintings mirrored the fractal structures found in nature— the branching of trees, the flow of rivers. Psychologist Mark Berman at the University of Chicago studies why nature has this effect on us. His research shows That time in natural environments restores attention, reduces stress, and can even alleviate the symptoms of depression. And you don't need a farmhouse on Long Island to experience these benefits. Mark's research suggests that even a walk through a park can measurably improve how your brain functions. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is to step outside. For more insights about the science of the mind, tune into Hidden Brain on Apple, Spotify, or hiddenbrain.org.
