Quiet 1965

John Ferren made 'Quiet' with oil paint. There are all these reddish grounds, and then a very simple geometric ovoid form and some stripes. I can imagine Ferren circling this form, each band a new attempt to feel his way in. The texture looks kind of dry, I think he may have added something to the paint to make it matte. I'm in awe of how he managed to create a harmonious balance between the abstract and the representational. I can feel his hand in those lines. It's like a conversation between the artist and the canvas, a dance of colors and shapes. I see echoes of other painters in his work, other colorists. Painting is a community, an ongoing conversation. We all build upon what came before, inspired and challenged by the artists who dared to put their own marks on the world. Every artist is looking at what other artists have done, so we are all constantly in each other's studios!