Born in Sydney, Ros grew up in a creative family in the beachside suburb of Cronulla. Her earliest memories are of helping her mother with ticket designing for retail shops and of spending countless hours drawing.
Having spent her teenage years in the burgeoning seaside township of Coffs Harbour, Ros succumbed to the lure of overseas travel, devoting many years to exploring Korea, Japan, The Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, India and America. Throughout her journey she accumulated a trove of exotic trinkets, beads and shells and began to fashion them into gold and silver jewellery pieces. Her creations proved very popular in Australia and thus began a long and fulfilling involvement in importation and retail.
During this busy period Ros also married and raised two children, but as often happens, life finds a way of turning the dream into a nightmare. In 1994, her eldest son, Jason, was diagnosed with Leukemia and died on the 20th January 1996. The strain took its toll on the 19 year marriage and Ros and her husband parted ways soon after.
These tragedies prompted Ros to reassess life’s priorities, and in so doing she began to direct her energies into painting, a passion necessarily placed on hold. After studying art and painting under Lorraine Abernathy, Peter Abraham and Trudy Forrest, she went on to complete a Graphic Arts Course at The Gold Coast Institute of Graphic Art in 1999. This course unearthed a love of acrylics, particularly in celebration of the human form.
After years developing her work Ros, and new partner, Ian moved to the hinterland of Byron Bay in 2003. Nestled between mountains and sea, she has established a studio overlooking what was known as The Big Scrub, a subtropical rainforest once home to the magnificent red cedar tree. Ros’s subjects, the vulnerable fauna and flora of her backyard paradise, are now captured with even greater precision thanks to a recently completed Diploma of Fine Arts Lismore.
2010 Diploma of Fine Arts Lismore TAFE
2007 English for further study Sydney TAFE
2006 English for further study Sydney TAFE
1999 Diploma in Graphic, Art Gold Coast QLD
2013 Border Art Prize, Gold Coast Art Gallery, Qld
2013 Byron Arts Classic Exhibition, Byron Bay Community Centre, Byron Bay NSW
2012 Border Art Prize, Tweed River Art Gallery, Murwillumbah NSW
2012 The Artist Revealed Christmas Self Portrait Exhibition, Anthea Polson Art, Qld
2012 Byron Arts Classic Exhibition, Byron Bay Community Centre, Byron Bay NSW
2011 8 Days Before Christmas Our Artists’ Special Christnas Show, Anthea Polson Art, Qld
2011 Caldera Artfest, Murwillumbah Civic Centre, Murwillumbah NSW
2011 Artfelt Exhibition, Northern Rivers Community Gallery, Ballina NSW
2011 Salon de Refuse Exhibition, The Little Artshop Gallery, Alstonville NSW
2010 Byron Arts Classic, Byron Community Centre, Byron Bay NSW
2010 Border Art Prize Tweed River Art Gallery, Murwillumbah NSW
2010 ‘2nd Draw Down’ Space Gallery, Lismore TAFE, Lismore NSW
2010 ‘Rocks & Rabbits & everything in between’ Wayward Gallery, Byron Bay NSW
2010 North Coast Institute Student Association Art Aquisitive, North Coast TAFE, Lismore NSW
2010 Caldera Artfest, Tweed Shire Civic Centre, Murwillumbah NSW
2009 ‘The Eight of Us’ Northern Rivers Community Art Gallery, Ballina NSW
2009 Space Gallery Lismore TAFE, Lismore NSW
2008 Space Gallery Lismore TAFE, Lismore NSW
2004 ‘The Nature of Seduction’ Royal Queensland Art Society Art Gallery, Broadbeach QLD
2013 Finalist, Border Art Prize Gold Coast Art Gallery, Qld
2013 Finalist, Byron Arts Classic Exhibition, Byron Bay Community Centre, Byron Bay NSW
2012 Finalist, Border Art Prize, Tweed River Art Gallery, Murwillumbah NSW
2012 Awarded Barebones Gallery Representation Award at the Byron Bay Arts Classic, ‘Catbird’ Byron Bay NSW
2011 Finalist, Caldera Artfest, Murwillumbah Civic Centre, Murwillumbah NSW
2011 Finalist, Artfelt Exhibition, Northern Rivers Community Gallery, Ballina NSW
2011 Finalist, Salon de Refuse Exhibition, The Little Artshop Gallery, Alstonville NSW
2010 Finalist in the Border Art Prize Tweed River Art Gallery, Murwillumbah NSW
2010 Finalist, Caldera Artfest, Tweed Shire Civic Centre, Murwillumbah NSW
2010 North Coast Institute Student Association Art Acquisitive, ‘Highly Commended’ North Coast TAFE Lismore NSW
My work explores the deep connection I have with the natural environment, but more particularly with the stunning subtropical rainforest surrounding our farm in the Byron Bay hinterland. This remnant rainforest, previously known as the ‘Big Scrub’, and originally home to the sought after red cedar tree, remains sanctuary to a vast array of indigenous flora and fauna. The mountain and sea, provides not only an enviable backyard but also exceptional inspiration for artistic expression.
The exploration of this expression began initially by breaking down the complexity of the organic tapestry in a simplistic, childlike manner, highlighting individual components such as colour, pattern and form. The process of reassembling these components resulted in the subject matter being depicted in a more graphical, semi-abstract style.
It gives me great joy knowing that through my own creative fulfillment I am able to share this very special part of ‘our’ land, and remind everyone of its vulnerability and ultimately assist in its preservation.
Receive e-mail updates on our exhibitions, events and more
Subscribe Now
