Rick Ross Artist Statement

Reflection on who I am as an artist keeps bringing me back to one word, evolution. I have always loved art – I drew and painted as a child, and as I got older, the transition into adulthood left me little time for creative expression. In my 30s, another major transition into parenthood, gave me the unexpected inspiration to return to art. Spending time with my sons and seeing the world through their eyes, moved me to pick up the paint brush again and express color with renewed wonder for the world around me.

Nature is my subject matter, whether literally interpreted through landscapes and still life or abstractly represented by the textures and depth of oil and cold wax medium. Like the evolution of my life experiences, I love to explore and imagine the journey of objects and am inspired by history, age, and patina.

The next phase of my personal evolution and the evolution of my work is yet unknown. Education, research, and experimentation will take me there.

A Conversation with the Artist

What is influencing your work at the moment?  

This year has been full of emotional ups and downs. My mood at the time is definitely showing through. Light, playful, and colorful or dark and dramatic. 

How did you come to focus on your current subject?  

I have always loved history. Each of my pieces has so many layers in it that add to the finished painting. For me, every layer that I add is building up history. You may not see every detail underneath, but without the journey taken, the end result would not be the same.

Can you articulate what draws you to a particular composition? 

I think there has to be an energy or mood to it. It can vary between pieces. Something that I loved in one piece, I may be less attracted to in another if certain elements change. 

Who or what has strongly influenced your work? 

Nature, history, and color, but if I had to pick from favorite artists, I would say Willem de Kooning and Gerhard Richter.

If you could have one work of art in your home from a museum or private collection, what would it be? 

I have been fortunate to visit some of the world's most amazing museums, and it would be next to impossible to narrow it down to one. I was unexpectedly blown away by van Gogh. I knew that I loved his work. but to see it in person was something awe-inspiring.

Why did you decide to work in your chosen medium? 

I love the back and forth with the medium. There is a dance as you add and take away from the layers. Its reactive and ever-changing.

What’s the most indispensable item in your studio? 

Music. I can not work without it!

How do you know when a piece of work is finished? 

There is a day or two before its done that I feel anxious and when I finally get a sense of peace over it, I know.

From where do you draw your inspiration? 

Patterns in nature, rust forming, rocks, cracks in the pavement. Everything.

What does your studio look like?

A disaster! I try to organize it a couple of times a year and then, somehow, 2 days after...boom!

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