Colleen Ferrin James | Passages

11/3/1936 to 6/1/2025

The world lost an angel on Earth with the passing of artist, mother, grandmother, wife and friend Colleen James, age 89.

Born Colleen Barbara Ferrin on Nov. 3, 1936, to parents Frank and Barbara Ferrin in Minneapolis, Minnesota, she spent her youth on the family property in Wheaton, Illinois, with her beloved pony Spice, cousin Fern, and sister Jacqueline. Colleen and her father rode their horses together weekly. In her early teens, the family moved to Southern California, where her father flourished as a producer and filmmaker in Hollywood. He produced the Lassie radio show, and later directed and produced Andy’s Gang. Frank Ferrin also produced, directed and wrote the feature film Sabaka (1954), filmed on location in India.

Colleen inherited a love for animals of all shapes and sizes, a generosity of spirit and a wicked sense of humor from her father, with whom she was extremely close. In an odd coincidence, Colleen died on the same date as her father 51 years earlier. Her love of animals was a constant during her lifetime. Colleen was never without a dog, Bella being her final companion. Her childhood was one of laughter and indulgence. She sailed on the British Oceanliner Queen Mary to France as a teen, welcomed home an elephant from her father’s travels in India and spent summers on Balboa Island.

After attending Chadwick High School, Colleen found herself through art. She would say later in life, “It was just in me to create. I didn’t have a choice. My passion for art was a driving force.” In 1955, she gave birth to her daughter, Michele. The two were instant best friends and spent the next 7 decades by each other’s side. Colleen and her husband Doug James raised Michele in Laguna Beach during the 1960s and 70s. Life in Laguna at this time was a hippie, art-filled world that Colleen immersed herself in.

Doug and Colleen purchased the first Laguna Beach retired school bus and converted it into a travel bus. Many trips, often to different destinations in Mexico, followed. They later bought a motorhome and continued their travels across the U.S. One such trip changed the trajectory of their lives forever. While on their way to Canada, Doug and Colleen fell in love with Lopez Island. Colleen lived on Lopez for 47 years. Her husband Doug passed away in 2015.

The majority of her growth as an artist, primarily self-taught, occurred during her years in Laguna Beach. Colleen was extremely prolific during this time, drawing and painting and teaching herself through anatomy and art books. She eventually focused on porcelain sculpture and later on bronze sculpture using lost-wax casting. She showed her work at the jury-selected Laguna Beach Festival of Arts for five years, Laguna Beach Art Museum, Historic Moss Point Design Show and multiple art galleries from the beach coast to Beverly Hills. Colleen’s work was highly detailed, often irreverent and portrayed women as sensual, powerful forces of nature. Just like her.

In the San Juans, her work was shown at Waterworks in Friday Harbor, the Leo Lambiel Museum on Orcas, Side Street Gallery, Gallery10 and Grayling Gallery on Lopez, as well as galleries in Anacortes, Port Townsend, and Poulsbo. Colleen opened Side Street Gallery with fellow artist Rita Elliott and later Gallery10, as sole owner, both on Lopez. At Gallery10, Colleen showed many local artists’ work, later adding what she called “fanciful clothing,” in which her unparalleled sense of style was evident.

In 1990, when Michele and her five-year-old daughter Colleen moved from Southern California to Lopez, Grandma Colleen said her life was complete. The bond that the three of them had was unbreakable, long-lasting and magical. There are no words to express how much she will be missed by her daughter and granddaughter.

Colleen operated Gallery10 into her early 80s and decided to close during COVID. As she aged, Colleen kept a positive attitude and zest for reading, caring for her dog, maintaining close friendships and above all, loving her family unconditionally.

Colleen created sculpture in her Lopez studio into her 70s, and when arthritis stopped her from such detailed work, she switched to jewelry. Then she wrote poetry and self-published a book of her work. Until her last day, Colleen created. It was as innate to her as breathing.

Colleen lived independently in her house until the last six months of her life. She moved into Village at the Harbor on San Juan Island, where she was welcomed and adored by residents and staff alike. Her art adorned the hallway walls near her room, and she gifted many of her pieces to those who became her friends in a short period of time. In the last week of her life, she was visited by a steady stream of caregivers and friends who expressed the profound impact she had on their lives and her lasting legacy of kindness, humor, beauty and grace.

Colleen is survived by her daughter, Michele, granddaughter Colleen, son-in-law Kim Smith, grandson-in-law Caleb Summers, and his mother Julia, great-grandchildren Seamus, Eolande, Nim, and Odin and dog Bella, who lives with Julia.

There will be no memorial or service, per Colleen’s wishes. In her honor, her family asks that you practice kindness, notice the beauty and art of the world around you, adopt an animal in need and treasure those you love.

To see photos of Colleen’s work and sign the guestbook, visit www.evanschapel.com/obituary/colleen-james.