John Ferren Explained

John Ferren
Birth Name:John Millard Ferren
Birth Date:17 October 1905
Birth Place:Pendleton, Oregon, US
Death Place:Southampton, New York, US
Movement:Abstract Expressionism
Spouse:Laure Ortiz de Zarate (1932–1938, divorce), Inez Chatfield (1941–1948, divorce), Rae Tonkel (1948–1970, ending in his death)
Known For:Oil painting
Children:Bran Ferren

John Millard Ferren (October 17, 1905  - July 1, 1970) was an American artist and educator.[1] He was active from 1920 until 1970 in San Francisco, Paris and New York City.[2]

Early life

John Ferren was born in Pendleton, Oregon on October 17, 1905, on the Blackfoot Indian Reservation.[3] His parents were Verna Zay (née Westfall) and James William Ferren, his father served in the Army and the family moved often. In 1911, the family settled down in San Francisco, California.

In 1925, he briefly attended the California School of Fine Arts (now known as San Francisco Art Institute).[4] [5] In his 20s, he apprenticed as a stonecutter in San Francisco and producing portrait busts.

Career

Paris

In 1929, he traveled to New York City and Paris.[2] While in Paris, Ferren attended classes at the Sorbonne, Académie de la Grande Chaumière, and Académie Ranson. Although for the most part not formally educated, preferring to develop his art through an adventurous life style, and interaction with other artists, he was known as an intellectual among his peers. He wrote many published articles on abstract art and art theory. His writing and artwork appears in three issues of the influential magazine; It is. A Magazine for Abstract Art (1958-1965). While in Paris, Ferren was part of the community of artists working in Europe in the 1920s and 30s, including Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst, Hans Hofmann, Joaquín Torres-García, Alberto Giacometti, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Piet Mondrian, and Pablo Picasso. He became friendly with Picasso, who mentored him, and together they stretched the canvas for Picasso's large 1937 painting Guernica.[2]

He briefly returned to the United States in 1930, returning to Paris soon after, where he remained until 1938.[2] He was liked to the group Abstraction-Création.[2] He was the only artist who was both an inner-circle member of the Parisian avant garde of the 1930s,[6] and the New York School abstract expressionists of the 1940s and 1950s.[7] Gertrude Stein, remarked of Ferren in her 1937 book Everybody's Autobiography: "He is the only American painter foreign painters in Paris consider a painter and whose painting interests them.[8]

He worked at Atelier 17 with Stanley William Hayter, and learned about a nineteenth-century printing technique, the engraving plate is imprinted in wet plaster, and when dried, is then carved and painted.[2]

New York

In 1938, he moved to New York City. He was a founding member (and later president) of The Club, a group of artists who were at the heart of the emerging New York School of abstract expressionism.[9] [10] He befriended Yun Gee, and through Gee, he became interested Taoism and Zen Buddhism.[2]

He taught at the Brooklyn Museum Art School, starting in 1946. Additionally he taught at Cooper Union (1946), Queens College (1952–1970), ArtCenter College of Design, Pasadena, California, and the University of California, Los Angeles.[11] During this time, he lived in a home and summer studio he designed and built in Brentwood, California.[12]

In the 1950s, Ferren collaborated with Alfred Hitchcock. In the 1955 film The Trouble With Harry, the artworks of main character Sam Marlowe were painted by Ferren. In the 1958 film Vertigo, Ferren created the Jimmy Stewart nightmare sequence as well as the haunting, Portrait of Carlotta.[13]

Beirut

Ferren was selected as the first US State Department's Artist in Residence, and spent one year ('63–'64) in Beirut, Lebanon with his family.[14] They lived on the second floor of the famous Beirut landmark building The Pink House (sometimes Rose House) which also served as his studio. While in the Middle East he had several exhibitions, including at the American University of Beirut, and traveled throughout the region giving lectures on his work and on American Abstract Expressionism. His presence there was captured in an art project by painter Tom Young, in 2014–2015.[15]

East Hampton

Ferren, along with friend and fellow painter Willem de Kooning, purchased adjacent land and a house, to which he added a studio, from sculptor Wilfred Zogbaum in 1959.[16] A few years after returning from Beirut, the Ferrens moved from New York City to live and paint full-time in East Hampton, however he also maintained a studio in New York at 147 Spring Street (sharing the building with Robert Wilson's Byrd Hoffman School of Byrds),[17] as he was simultaneously a professor teaching color and painting, and serving as chairman of the art department for CUNY, Queens College.[18] This was a very prolific period for them both, and the Ferren's remained active members of the East Hampton artist community, for the remainder of their lives.[19] Both of their works can be seen as prominent parts of the Guild Hall Museum permanent collection[37], and on exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum permanent collection, along with their son's Bran Ferren.[20] [21] [22]

Personal life

His first marriage was in 1932 to Laure Ferren (née Ortiz de Zarate), the daughter of Manuel Ortiz de Zarate, and ended in divorce by 1938.[23] [24] His second marriage was in 1941, to Inez Ferren (née Chatfield), and ended in divorce by 1948.

While teaching at Brooklyn Museum Art School, he met Rae Tonkel, one of his students and an Impressionist painter.[25] Ferren married Rae Ferren (née Tonkel) in 1949, when she was age 20 and he was age 44. Rae Ferren died on September 6, 2016.[26] [27] [28] Their son, Bran Ferren, is a designer, technologist, inventor, and businessman.[29]

Death

Ferren died of cancer at the Southampton Hospital in Southampton, New York in 1970.[30] [31] He is buried at Green River Cemetery in East Hampton, New York.

Museum permanent collections

His work is in various public museum collections including:

Exhibitions

A list of select exhibitions by John Ferren.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: John Ferren Papers, an inventory of his papers at Syracuse University. 2020-11-11. Syracuse University.
  2. Web site: Collection Online, John Ferren. 2020-11-11. The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation.
  3. Book: Salvesen. Magda. Artists' Estates: Reputations in Trust. Cousineau. Diane. 2005. Rutgers University Press. 978-0-8135-3604-0. 265–266. en.
  4. Web site: Artists, John Ferren. 2017-07-29. Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, Italy.
  5. Web site: John Ferren bio. 2020-11-11. Artnet.com.
  6. News: Braff. Phyllis. 1993-10-10. ART; The Balance and Unity That John Ferren Found Through Abstraction (Published 1993). en-US. The New York Times. 2020-12-18. 0362-4331.
  7. Web site: Hirschl & Adler. John Ferren Biography.
  8. 1938-08-29. Art: American Abroad. en-US. Time. 2021-12-12. 0040-781X.
  9. Web site: John Ferren - Bio. phillipscollection.org. 2017-07-29.
  10. Web site: Abstract Expressionism 1952. 2020-12-18. warholstars.org.
  11. Web site: 26 July 1970. John Ferren, Famed Artist. subscription. 2020-11-11. Newspapers.com. The Palm Beach Post. 36. en.
  12. Web site: JOHN FERREN (1905-1970) - Artists - Sullivan Goss - An American Gallery, Santa Barbara's Finest Art Gallery. 2020-12-18. www.sullivangoss.com.
  13. Web site: The Art of Film : The Midge Portrait in "Vertigo:" The Parody of Carlotta. Film. The Art Of. 2014-03-02. The Art of Film. 2017-07-29.
  14. Rogers. Sarah A.. 2011-03-01. The Artist as Cultural DiplomatJohn Ferren in Beirut, 1963–64. American Art. 25. 1. 112–123. 10.1086/660035. 191211423. 1073-9300.
  15. Web site: The Rose House (2014-15). 2020-12-17. Tom Young. en.
  16. Web site: Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center. Wilfrid Zogbaum.
  17. Web site: 2012-09-17. Byrd Hoffman School Of Byrds – The Life and Times of Joseph Stalin. 2020-12-18. Continuo's weblog. en.
  18. Web site: Exhibition Catalogues. 2020-12-18. qcpages.qc.cuny.edu.
  19. Web site: The Springs - December 2012 - fineartistmade blog. 2020-12-18. www.fineartistmade.com.
  20. Web site: John Ferren Smithsonian American Art Museum. 2021-12-12. americanart.si.edu. en-US.
  21. Web site: Rae Ferren Smithsonian American Art Museum. 2021-12-12. americanart.si.edu. en-US.
  22. Web site: Bran Ferren Smithsonian American Art Museum. 2021-12-12. americanart.si.edu. en-US.
  23. Web site: John Ferren. 2020-11-11. Smithsonian American Art Museum. en-US.
  24. Web site: John Ferren papers, 1927-1969, Overview. 2020-11-11. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. en.
  25. Web site: Rae Ferren (1929-2016) Impressionistic American Artist. 2020-12-18. waller-yoblonsky.blogspot.com.
  26. Web site: Segal. Mark. September 15, 2016. Rae Ferren, Artist Was 87. 2017-07-29. The East Hampton Star. en.
  27. Web site: Rae Ferren. 2020-11-11. Smithsonian American Art Museum. en-US.
  28. News: R.mvellow. James. 1974-01-13. An Avenue a Serious Artist Has to Follow. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-12-12. 0362-4331.
  29. News: Bran Ferren Stern Speakers. Stern Speakers. 2017-07-29. en-US.
  30. News: 1970-07-26. JOHN FERREN, 64, PAINTER, IS DEAD (Published 1970). en-US. The New York Times. 2020-12-17. 0362-4331.
  31. Web site: 26 July 1970. Obituary, John Ferren. subscription. 2020-11-11. Newspapers.com. Daily News. 245. en.
  32. Web site: John Ferren Smithsonian American Art Museum. 2017-07-29. americanart.si.edu. en.
  33. Web site: John Ferren MoMA. 2020-12-17. The Museum of Modern Art. en.
  34. Web site: Wikidata:WikiProject sum of all paintings/Collection/Los Angeles County Museum of Art - Wikidata. 2020-12-17. www.wikidata.org.
  35. Web site: John Ferren. 2020-12-17. whitney.org. en.
  36. Web site: You searched for john ferren. 2020-12-17. SFMOMA. en-US.
  37. Web site: Two, No. 1. 2020-12-17. High Museum of Art. en-US.
  38. Web site: Abstract Relief. 2020-12-17. www.dia.org. en.
  39. Web site: Three Oklahoma Collections. 2020-12-17. www.ou.edu.
  40. Web site: eMuseumPlus - Collection Result. 2020-12-17. emp-web-95.zetcom.ch.
  41. Web site: Inventory of the Arts Club Records, 1892–2004 - Summary: Arts Club of Chicago. The Newberry.
  42. Web site: John Ferren. 2020-12-18. pc.guildhall.org.
  43. Web site: Collection Search. 2020-12-17. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Smithsonian. en.
  44. Web site: 2014-12-28. John Ferren, "West" (1959-60). 2020-12-17. PAFA - Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. en-US.
  45. Web site: The Phillips Collection. 2020-12-17. www.phillipscollection.org.
  46. Web site: Blanton Museum of Art. 2020-12-17. collection.blantonmuseum.org.
  47. Web site: John Ferren - DAC Collection Search - Davison Art Center - Wesleyan University. 2020-12-17. dac-collection.wesleyan.edu.
  48. Web site: Inscape—The Inner Nature Of Things. 2020-12-17. Parrish Art Museum. en-US.
  49. Sandweiss. Martha A.. 1983. Masterworks of American Photography: The Amon Carter Museum Collection. American Art Journal. 15. 2. 79. 10.2307/1594341. 1594341. 0002-7359.
  50. Web site: John Raimondi. https://www.johnraimondi.com/john-ferren.
  51. Web site: Newark Art Museum. John Ferren.
  52. Web site: John Ferren - Museums. 2020-12-17. www.askart.com.
  53. Web site: Artist Info. 2020-12-17. www.nga.gov.
  54. Web site: 2018-09-21. John Ferren. 2020-12-17. FAMSF Search the Collections. en.
  55. Web site: Weatherspoon Art Museum - John Ferren. 2020-12-17. weatherspoonartmuseum.org.
  56. Web site: Search Albright-Knox. 2020-12-17. www.albrightknox.org.
  57. Web site: John Ferren – U.S. Department of State. 2020-12-17. en-US.
  58. Web site: Untitled. 2020-12-17. collections.sbma.net.
  59. Web site: Google Santa Barbara Museum of Art. 2020-12-17. www.sbma.net.
  60. Web site: Islip Art Museum. The Permanent Collection.
  61. Lowe Art Museum. FROM THE VAULT, BUILDING A LEGACY: SIXTY YEARS OF COLLECTING AT THE LOWE ART MUSEUM, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI. Lowe Art Museum Publication.
  62. Web site: Search Yale University Art Gallery. 2020-12-17. artgallery.yale.edu.
  63. Web site: John Ferren - Artist Facts. 2020-12-17. www.askart.com.
  64. Web site: History. 2020-12-17. LosAngelesArtAssociation. en-US.
  65. Web site: John Ferren D. Wigmore Fine Art. 2020-12-17. www.dwigmore.com.
  66. Web site: Artist Info. 2017-07-29. nga.gov.
  67. Web site: Biografie von John Ferren – John Ferren auf artnet. 2020-12-17. www.artnet.de.
  68. Web site: John Ferren Biography – John Ferren on artnet. 2020-12-17. www.artnet.com.
  69. Web site: Abstract Expressionism 1900 - 1909. 2020-12-17. warholstars.org.
  70. Web site: JOHN FERREN (1905-1970) - Artists - Sullivan Goss - An American Gallery, Santa Barbara's Finest Art Gallery. 2021-12-12. www.sullivangoss.com. en.
  71. Web site: JOHN FERREN (1905-1970) - Artists - Sullivan Goss - An American Gallery, Santa Barbara's Finest Art Gallery. 2021-12-12. www.sullivangoss.com. en.
  72. Web site: Sullivan Goss. John Ferren Bio.
  73. Web site: 1996-03-31. REVIEW : A new exhibition canvasses a variety of privately owned works that aren't often publicly accessible.. 2020-12-18. Los Angeles Times. en-US.
  74. Web site: 1951 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting. 2020-12-18. whitney.org. en.
  75. Web site: New Paintings by John Ferren » Norton Simon Museum. 2020-12-17. www.nortonsimon.org.
  76. Web site: 1955 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting. 2020-12-18. whitney.org. en.
  77. Web site: 1956 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Sculpture, Watercolors and Drawings. 2020-12-18. whitney.org. en.
  78. News: 1956-03-22. About Art and Artists; Group Show Now at Stable Gallery Is Marked by Individual Achievement (Published 1956). en-US. The New York Times. 2020-12-17. 0362-4331.
  79. Web site: The Arts Club of Chicago » Exhibition List. 2021-12-12.
  80. News: 1957-02-15. Art: Object and Order; John Ferren Uses Symmetrical Shapes of Intense Color to Convey Meaning. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-12-13. 0362-4331.
  81. Web site: JOHN FERREN (1905-1970) - Artists - Sullivan Goss - An American Gallery, Santa Barbara's Finest Art Gallery. 2021-12-12. www.sullivangoss.com. en.
  82. Web site: JOHN FERREN (1905-1970) - Artists - Sullivan Goss - An American Gallery, Santa Barbara's Finest Art Gallery. 2021-12-12. www.sullivangoss.com. en.
  83. Web site: 1965 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting. 2020-12-18. whitney.org. en.
  84. Web site: JOHN FERREN (1905-1970) - Artists - Sullivan Goss - An American Gallery, Santa Barbara's Finest Art Gallery. 2021-12-12. www.sullivangoss.com. en.
  85. Web site: www.bibliopolis.com. Sources for Tomorrow: 50 American Paintings, 1946 - 1966, Selected from the James A. Michener Foundation Collection by Richard Hirsch on Mullen Books. 2020-12-17. Mullen Books. en-US.
  86. Web site: Artforum.com. 2020-12-17. www.artforum.com. en-US.
  87. Web site: Advisors. South Florida Web. John Ferren. 2020-12-17. Findlay Galleries. July 16, 2017 . en-US.
  88. News: Braff. Phyllis. 1986-12-07. ART; Jung as Root of Abstract Expressionism. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-12-13. 0362-4331.
  89. Web site: Parish Art Museum. The Abstract Spirit, John Ferren (1905-1970).
  90. Web site: Helen's CV » Helen Harrison. 2020-12-17. helenharrison.net.
  91. Web site: American Prints in Black and White, 1900-1950: Selections from the Collection of Reba and Dave Williams Dallas Museum of Art. 2021-12-12. dma.org.
  92. News: 1998-11-27. ART GUIDE (Published 1998). en-US. The New York Times. 2020-12-17. 0362-4331.
  93. News: Glueck. Grace. 1998-05-15. ART IN REVIEW. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-12-13. 0362-4331.
  94. Web site: Spanierman Modern presents Gallery Selections exhibition of paintings. 2020-12-17. ArtfixDaily. en.
  95. Web site: Abstract Expressionist New York MoMA. 2021-12-12. The Museum of Modern Art. en.
  96. Web site: An Ear for Music, an Eye for Art / The Baker Museum / Artis—Naples. 2020-12-17. artisnaples.org. en.
  97. Web site: The Elusive Painter Who Predicted Minimalism in the Mid 1950s. 2021-09-01. Hyperallergic. November 20, 2015 . en.
  98. An Exploration of Hole Filling Algorithms. Robert E. Kennedy Library, Cal Poly. Eric. Firestone. 2008 . 10.15368/theses.2008.11. free.
  99. Web site: An Abstract Expressionist Returns to New York This October. 2021-12-12. Avenue Magazine. en.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "John Ferren".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.