Interview with Joe Ferry
Dr. Joe Ferry holds several academic degrees including that of Ph.D. Dr. Ferry is a Grammy Award Winning Record Producer as well as an Award Winning Filmmaker and author. Though having never taken an art lesson in his life, Dr. Ferry has developed a unique style that is quickly becoming very popular in the USA and Europe.
How would you describe yourself and your artwork?
JF: At this point in my life I just want to live in peace. I find it peaceful to walk around in old abandoned neighborhoods. The buildings seem to sway, sometimes literally cos they're ready to fall down 😊 they sing to me. I want to bring that sense of calm to the viewers of my paintings.
How do you go about beginning a new piece? Do you have an idea already in mind, or do you start working with materials or sketches to find the departure point?
JF: I never start willy-nilly. I have an idea sketched out first. Nothing fancy or involved. Very incomplete but enough for me to begin the piece. The colors are chosen beforehand and mixed by me. I used various size brushes of course but I use Acrylic paint pens a lot and Painters knives quite a bit.
When do you think your most prolific time of day or week is?
JF: Evenings. I'm not very productive during the day. That's when I get my errands run, things like that. When thevsun goes down, I get to work. All Night long.
What is a barrier you as an artist overcame? Is there anything that enabled you to develop your work as an artist in your life?
JF: My barrier is that I am untrained. I never studied art. I have 5 academic degrees incl. Ph.D but nothing in art. Everything I learned was a result watching Bob Ross on TV.
Did you have an idea of what you wanted to create right from the beginning?
JF: My first few paintings were just test runs. I honestly don't remember how I got into painting only night skies. No daytime skies. My trip to MoMA where I saw a Van Gogh exhibit really blew my mind. I think seeing the Starry Night up close had a profound affect on my work.
What is the meaning or creative inspiration for your work? We’re curious what the narrative or story is to what you are producing?
JF: I want people to look at my work and chill out. A lot of the folks who collect my work hang the paintings in their bedrooms. They like to look at them first thing in the morning. Again, seeing the Starry Night was such a relaxing experience. The Potato Eaters too. I saw that one up close. It made be calm to see them.
Besides your artworks, are there any other things in life that your voice as an artist may consider vital or valuable? What makes you joyful and creative, in other words?
JF: I am a 7-Time Grammy Nominated Record Producer, Professor Emeritus S.U.N.Y, and an award winning Filmmaker and author. So I have lots of stuff to keep me busy and express myself.
Are there any exhibitions or places where people can see these beautiful creations in person soon? Anything on the horizon?
JF: My work is on display at Montgomery Fine Art in Carmel California; UpFront Exhibitions in Port Jervis NY; Sparkomatic in Milford PA. I'll be doing a number of personal appearances next year to discuss my work. At the above mentioned venues.
