Helen Frankenthaler is best known for her “soak-stain” technique, which she developed in the 1950s. This technique involved pouring thinned paint onto unprimed canvas, resulting in a highly absorbent and vibrantly colored surface.
 
Frankenthaler’s work was hugely influential and helped to pave the way for the Color Field and Lyrical Abstraction movements of the 1960s. She continued to experiment with her technique throughout her career, producing a body of work that is both innovative and visually stunning.
 
Today, Frankenthaler’s paintings are held in major collections all over the world, and she is widely recognized as one of the most influential American artists of the 20th century.
 
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, artist, and writer. He has been an influential figure in popular music and culture for more than five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he became an informal chronicler and a reluctant voice of a generation. A number of Dylan’s songs, such as “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “The Times They Are a-Changin'”, became anthems of the anti-war and civil rights movements. As a songwriter, Dylan has composed more than 600 songs; as a performer, he has sold over 100 million records.
 
Frankenthaler’s work is characterized by using large fields of color and washes of paint, which she applied directly to unprimed canvas. This method of painting was inspired by her experience watching Jackson Pollock work in her studio. The resulting images appear spontaneous and fluid as if the paint were absorbed by the canvas.
 
Frankenthaler's work, much like Dylan's "Forever Young," radiates a sense of timeless spontaneity. The artist's application of large color fields and paint washes directly onto unprimed canvas, a method inspired by watching Jackson Pollock at work, lends her images an organic fluidity. Dylan, always one to appreciate expressiveness and accessibility, might have been inspired by Frankenthaler’s audacious use of color and her ability to stir emotions.
 
Frankenthaler’s work is both expressive and accessible, two qualities that Dylan values in his own music. Additionally, Frankenthaler’s willingness to experiment with her art-making process likely resonated with Dylan, who is always looking for new ways to push the boundaries of his craft.