One of my most favorite classes when I was a student at Philadelphia College of Art (now the University of the Arts) was Color Theory. I liked it so much that I requested permission to take it twice, with the second semester being more advanced. The class was taught by Rafael Ferrer. I remember not only learning a lot about color in his class, but also about him and his life story (at the time).
On June 10, 2010 there was an article about him and his most current show in the New York Times, "After Process, a Return to the Tropics," by Roberta Smith:
"Thanks to El Museo del Barrio the artist Rafael Ferrer, at 77, is finally having his moment. “Retro/Active: The Work of Rafael Ferrer,” his first large museum survey, spans more than five decades, with nearly 200 works in just about every late-20th-century medium except film and video."
... and ...
"For years Rafael Ferrer divided his time between Philadelphia, where he taught..." Read More.
There is no question that what I learned in art school continues to have a big influence on my art and my life. The article, and a visit to his gallery's website, brought back many fond memories, and it prompted me to contact his gallery to ask how to get in touch with him.
They sent me his address, and I sent him a very belated thank you card. When I was in my late teens/early 20's I wasn't into thanking people as much as I am as an adult. This was a perfect time to thank my Color Theory teacher, and also congratulate him about his show.
I don't know if I can get to New York City before his show closes, but if I can, it would be nice to see “Retro/Active: The Work of Rafael Ferrer” at El Museo del Barrio, which runs through August 22, 2010.
