biography

Born in Victoria and with an inherent love of the Australian landscape, Ross commenced oil painting at about 16 years of age, whilst a student in Shepparton. He would often cycle, sometimes with a friend, to a painting location and produced up to two or three paintings a week. While still a teenager he completed a Diploma of Graphic Design at Caulfield Institute of Technology (now Monash University). This course included life drawing, graphic printmaking, as well as painting and design.

Ross worked for two years as a graphic design artist in a printing business prior to becoming a Secondary Art teacher in Melbourne and Shepparton. He regularly pursued his passion for painting during the 26 years of both full time and part-time teaching and subsequently resigned from the education system in 1994 to paint full time.

He is now constantly sought after to tutor various art societies throughout Australia and New Zealand. Regular venues for teaching include the Mitchell School of Arts at Bathurst University; Grafton Arts Festival, and Combined Art societies of Sydney. He has also judged various major art shows, such as Victor Harbor, SA; Bright, Vic and Tumut, NSW.

He has been invited to participate in many group and solo exhibitions throughout Australia and overseas. Group exhibitions include China and Taiwan in 1991 and 1995.

Ross has been a regular contributing writer for Australia Artist magazine and attributes the publicity from these articles partly to his increasing profile in Australian Art.

His work hangs in many permanent collections in corporate and municipal galleries and also private collections of art throughout Australia and overseas.

In 1998 he was invited to become a member of the 'Twenty Melbourne Painters'. Currently he has almost 200 major awards to his credit including being twice winner of the Australian Landscape Award at Camberwell Art Show, Australia's premier traditional art show. His work has been awarded at Victor Harbor Corporate Award, 2005, and at many other shows throughout Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales.

Some more recent major awards are:
Hills Industries Award, Victor Harbor - Oil 2008
Grand Art Award, Wangaratta 2007
Best Watercolour, Hamilton 2007
Best Watercolour, Corowa 2007
Kenneth Jack Award - Major Australian Watercolour Award 2007
St Kevins College - Watercolour 2006
Mt Waverley - Watercolour 2005
Bacchus Marsh - Watercolour 2005
Best in Show, Alexandra - Oil 2005
Best Watercolour, Mornington 2005
Best in Show, Victor Harbor 2005
Mt Waverley - Oil 2004
Best Watercolour, Bacchus Marsh 2004
Best in Show, Alexandra - Pastel 2004
Wangaratta - Watercolour 2003
Best Watercolour, Ivanhoe 2003
Best in Show, Alexandra 2003

"Painting to me is all about possessing an intimate feeling for, and subsequent understanding of, the depicted subject. My initial response, usually to an interesting subject and the light and mood associated with it, is envisaged and then interpreted with sensitivity and some conceptual feeling.
Consideration is given to design and then the necessary elements, such as shape (drawing), tonal value, colour and texture. To simplify this statement, I look for the 'shape' of the building and also the 'shape' of the space around this, making sure there is a relevant balance throughout the whole work. As the painting proceeds, the inner feeling and rhythm tends to take over".