Composition (Brun) 1933

John Ferren made this painting using an unknown medium at an unknown date. Looking at this painting, it's like peeking into the artist’s mind, right? The dark ground with dashes of white, brown, and olive marks suggest so much possibility. I can almost see Ferren in his studio, brush in hand, making intuitive decisions. It’s not about illustrating something; it's about the act of painting itself. See those gestural marks? The paint isn’t too thick, but you can sense the texture. The way the brushstrokes overlap—some tentative, some bold—creates a really dynamic surface. I am thinking of Cy Twombly and his interest in marks and casualness. Each gesture communicates a feeling, a fleeting thought. It’s like Ferren is letting us witness his thought process. That little green curve in the lower corner of the painting… it seems so tentative and vulnerable. It's like he is experimenting and pushing the boundaries of what painting can be. For me, painting is an ongoing conversation. It's about embracing ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations and meaning.