Untitled 1961

This untitled painting by John Ferren seems to have emerged from playful experimentation with colour and form, probably in his studio. Imagine Ferren, brush in hand, diving into a world of blues, greens, reds and yellows, swirling them together in a concentrated, roughly square area, leaving a serene blue field around it. The paint looks buttery and thick, doesn't it? I wonder if he used a palette knife to create those textured marks? There's something really intriguing about the green bar at the bottom – it anchors the composition. Ferren's work, with its improvisational spirit, reminds me a little bit of other abstract painters of that time, always building on each other's experiments, sharing ideas across the decades. This painting embodies the kind of visual thinking and creative processes that are so inspiring. It’s a reminder that painting is all about discovery, a conversation between the artist, the paint, and ultimately, us.