Dancing Through Fields of Color: The Story of Helen Frankenhaler by Elizabeth Brown; illustrated by Aimee Sicuro. 2019. Watercolor, ink, and charcoal pencil. Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Brief summary: Young Helen enjoyed mixing her watercolors in nontraditional ways. In art class at school, she was able to follow the rules of how to draw and paint to please her teachers but she wished for more. She was able to follow the rules  in order to study art in college. She moved to New York where she created paintings where colors overlapped. She met the famous Jackson Pollock who was known for for his art in  the abstract expressionist movement. She began to experiment with the “soak stain” method of pouring paint onto the canvas.

Comments:  There is a quick biographical sketch, timeline, author’s note, quotes and sources, select bibliography, and poured paint/soak-stain activity. I think the activity would be perfect to do outdoors during the end-of-the-year field day or such when the students are already wet and messy.