Total intuition is at the heart of Pat Passlof's creative process, for whom there is never a pre-established plan. For her, art possesses its own emotion — an aesthetic emotion — that completely detaches from daily reality. 'If you can think it, don’t bother doing it. Think with a brush — the finger of your brain.' Born in Georgia in 1928, Passlof studied at Queens College and then at Black Mountain College, where she met her mentor Willem de Kooning. De Kooning's influence on her early work is evident in her use of rich textures and organic forms. 'De Kooning introduced me to the concerns of artists; defining and consolidating the picture plane; the role of movement, speed, and stillness in creating space; what painting does.'

Refusing to confine herself to a single artistic identity, Passlof constantly renewed herself throughout her life, evolving her choice of textures, forms, and color palettes. Passlof also played a leading role within the 10th Street community, a collective of artists offering an avant-garde alternative to the elitist galleries of Madison Avenue and 57th Street. Her tenure as a teacher in various institutions, including the College of Staten Island, CUNY, allowed her to explore and express her ideas about art, notably influencing her practice. Her marriage to Milton Resnick in 1962 marked the beginning of a creative union, although their paths diverged in 1970. Her unique vision and unwavering commitment to art made Passlof an emblematic figure of abstract expressionism.