Branches 1955

John Ferren made this painting, Branches, with some kind of paint, maybe oil, and a loose hand, and I’d say the painting is mostly about color. It’s not exactly realistic, but not not realistic, you know? The whole thing is built with shapes next to shapes, like the colors are bumping up against each other. The surface is smooth, and the colors feel kind of pulpy, but also flat in a cool way. Look at the little bursts of orange and red near the bottom; they’re like exclamation points, so casual. There’s something about how the marks come together – the browns, the blues, the whites – that makes it feel like a puzzle, but one where the pieces don't quite fit. Ferren reminds me a bit of Arthur Dove, another painter who wasn't afraid to let his feelings run wild with color and form. Like Dove, Ferren reminds us that art doesn't have to make perfect sense to be deeply felt.