By Rob Adams
Sentinel Reporter
John Ferris Robben is a lot of things, and so many of them revolve around Greenwich.
Need a picture? Few take better pictures – and that almost doesn’t feel like the right term to use – than John.
He’s been a model at times throughout his diverse career.
Need to laugh? Oh John can help with a quip.
How about any fact about Greenwich? Or a contact? It’s John who will have it.
Yet this is about John’s art, or more specifically, his art show, John Ferris Robben: A Retrospective Painting Show, at the Greenwich YMCA on May 25.
John Ferris Robben is a busy man though. To “chat” with him, he offers a text interview. After laughing, he dives in with a series of testimonials.
According to what he sent, he “paints like a happy kid,” has “Picasso-level confidence,” and “makes other paintings look boring.”
His paintings are also “more collectable than Beanie Babies,” but perhaps it’s best to just let that sit right there.
“The Greenwich YMCA has allowed me to show off 70 of my paintings,” he said. “That’s a lot of paint. The show is 30 years of work in three hours.”
“If you don’t come you will miss something really unique.”
Still, he can’t resist his usual jokes: “I’m asking guests to not be sarcastic during that time.”
Turning serious, Robben – who is the in-house photographer for the Sentinel – said he honed his love of being an artist as a youth.
“Crayons and coloring books at my Irish immigrant New Rochelle grandmothers’ house,” he said. “I used to go there as a young boy and literally extend the color out of the line art.”
The art show at the Greenwich YMCA will run from 5-8 pm on Thursday, May 25. It is free to the public, though parking is limited. The YMCA asks that attendees consider any transportation services.
Entertainment will be provided by Mark Zelenz and Steve Hanson.
The one-night only event will feature the very first “canvassless” paintings.
“I unexpectedly eveolved the use of acrylic paint into a method that cuts out the use of a canas,” Robben said.
“I make sheets of paint with a secret formula.”
In that process, Robben said he eliminates the use of a canvas or surface.
“The paint becomes the canvas,” he added.
A portion of the proceeds raised at the art show will be donated to the Force Network Fund, a charity for charities. According to their website, the Force Network researches “the best military and first responder charitable organizations and hand select our 13. This approach allows the donor a level of trust that his/her donation will be properly used. Donations can be self-directed through Force Network to one of the thirteen foundations or directed to Force Network and FNF will direct to one or more of the thirteen FNF foundations.”
Among the funds that the Force Network supports are the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which honors the sacrifice of Stephen Siller, the Staten Island-based firefighter who ran through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel in his turnout gear to be on the scene of the September 11, 2001 attacks in Lower Manhattan, as well the Tug McGraw Foundation, which supports those impacted by brain tumors. That foundation is named in honor of the late New York Mets pitcher, whose motto was “Ya gotta believe.”
The Special Operations Warrior Foundation, Save A Warrior, and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation are other causes that benefit from the work of the Force Network Fund.
All add to reasons to attend Robbens’ show at the YMCA.
The art show will be held on the second floor of the Greenwich YMCA, which is located at 50 East Putnam Ave. Any questions can be directed to John Ferris Robben via email at jfrobben@gmail.com.
