An extraordinary large-scale ceramic wall mural by American artist A.J. Ferrell, signed and dated 1985. This five-panel installation spans just over 8 feet in length, creating a dynamic, continuous composition of stylized fish with vivid red heads and gray bodies, reminiscent of salmon swimming upstream among abstracted foliage. Handmade clay tiles serve as the canvas, each richly glazed and painted with Ferrell’s distinctive painterly touch. Her rhythmic brushwork brings movement and depth to the aquatic scene, blending naturalism with modernist abstraction. The earthy palette of grays, greens, and neutrals is punctuated with bold red accents, giving the mural both graphic strength and organic warmth. Each panel is framed in wood and designed to be hung individually or together as a striking multi-part mural. Works by Ferrell from the 1980s are rarely seen in complete sets of this scale, making this installation a distinctive statement piece. Good vintage condition overall. The wood frames show some wear consistent with age, and a few of the tiles sit slightly uneven/not fully flush. Some natural variations in the glaze and surface are inherent to the artist’s hand-crafted process.
Dimensions (each panel): 19.5” wide, 1.25” deep, and 19.5” high.
Total span (five panels side by side): approx. 97.5” wide (just over 8 feet).

Leave a comment