Sally Ross

Ross's paintings, through their materiality and dynamic qualities, reflect her playful curiosity and, most importantly, her aspiration to break free from the constraints of traditional painting frameworks.

Biography of Sally Ross

Sally Ross was born in Morristown, New Jersey, and grew up in Florham Park, a borough of Morris County. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in painting from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University in 1987. 

Seeking to progress in her painting while grappling with the aesthetic challenges of realism, Ross took a break from painting for several months to visit museums and galleries. During this period, she had a pivotal moment when she attended the opening of the 2012 Yayoi Kusama retrospective at the Whitney Museum. In a small, narrow room packed with white Infinity Net paintings, Ross had an epiphany that shifted her perception toward abstraction.

Seeing these artworks as constructions rather than mere paintings, she resumed her artistic endeavors with increased determination. She began sewing pieces of canvas together in a manner resembling a quilt, which she then stretched across a wall. Positioned vertically, Ross would paint on these canvases and occasionally remove sections as she saw fit. By exploring and challenging the space between the canvas's surface and the wall behind it, Ross engaged in an intuitive and experimental process, guided by an invisible vision toward achieving her final artistic form.

Ross's recent exhibitions include her first European show, "Painting Piece-By-Piece," presented by the Maramotti Collection in 2018. Other notable exhibitions include solo shows at Fergus McCaffrey, New York (2018); Gagosian Gallery, New York (2013); Sean Horton Gallery, New York (2011); Galerie Lelong, New York (2010); and Gallery Min Min, Tokyo (2008).

She currently lives and works in New York, New York.