Cathy Ross
Artist Bio Artist Work
Cathy Ross was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. She studied at Mount Allison University and the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. In 1983 she was awarded a scholarship to study at the Banff School of Fine Arts. In both 1981 and 1983 Cathy was the recipient of Elizabeth T. Greenshields Foundation grants.
In her professional career she has exhibited in many solo and group exhibitions in Canada and the US. Her work is represented in collections across Canada, including: Memorial University, NFLD; New Brunswick Museum, Saint John NB; The Canada Council Art Bank, Ottawa; Banff Centre, Alberta; Dofasco Inc., Hamilton; and the Burnaby Art Centre, Burnaby BC.
Cathy lives and works in Waterloo, Ontario and Saint Andrews, New Brunswick.
Artist Statement
As an artist, I am interested in looking at objects closely and conveying my visual response to them . Something will capture my attention - a certain colour, the unique shape of a plant or the charm of an everyday object. I then collect these things and have them in my studio as possible subjects for my work. Through careful observation, I try to convey the uniqueness and special character of each object. Sometimes elements are arranged in complex compositions, other times, I use a single subject in isolation. My paintings are meant to be intimate. I want the viewer to pause and take in the subtle joy of the ordinary and the ephemeral beauty of the natural world.
Education
1985 Banff School of Fine Arts, Banff, AB
1982-1984 Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Halifax, NS
1981 Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB
Teaching
2016-2020 Watercolour, Sunbury Shores Arts and Nature Centre, St. Andrews, NB
1988-1990 Print Making, Sunbury Shores Arts and Nature Centre. St. Andrews, NB
Public and Corporate Permanent Collections
Beaverbrook Art Gallery - Fredericton, NB
New Salem Museum - New Salem, MA, USA
The Canada Council Art Bank Collection - Ottawa, ON
New Brunswick Museum - Saint John, NB
New Brunswick Government Art Bank Collection - Fredericton, NB
Banff Centre - Banff, AB
Dofasco Inc. - Hamilton, ON
Burnaby Art Gallery - Burnaby, BC
The Bank of Montreal - Montreal, QC
Confederation Art Centre Gallery - Charlottetown, PEI
Awards
2018
Exhibition Assistance Grant - Ontario Arts Council
2016
Exhibition Assistance Grant - Ontario Arts Council
2014
Exhibition Assistance Grant - Ontario Arts Council
2012
Exhibition Assistance Grant - Ontario Arts Council
Arts Travel Grant - Canada Council
2011
Exhibition Assistance Grant - Ontario Arts Council
1986
Purchase Award - Burnaby Print Show
1984
Fine Arts Scholarship - Banff School of Fine Arts
Elizabeth T. Greenshields Foundation Grant
1981
Elizabeth T. Greenshields Foundation Grant
1980
Purdy MacDonald Foundation Grant
1978
Purdy MacDonald Foundation Grant
1977
Purdy MacDonald Foundation Grant
Artist Residencies
2023
Minister’s Island, St. Andrews, NB
2021
Minister’s Island, St. Andrews, NB
2020
Kingsbrae International Residence for the Arts/Kira
2018
Minister’s Island, St. Andrews, NB
2016
Minister’s Island, St. Andrews, NB
2014
Kingsbrae Gardens, St. Andrews, NB
Solo Exhibitions
2023
Ministers Island in Small Pieces - Sunbury Shores Art and Nature Centre, Saint Andrews, NB
2022
Ministers Island in Small Pieces - Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton, NB
Ocean Journal - Gallery 78, Fredericton, NB
2018
A Closer Look - Sunbury Shores Art and Nature Centre, Saint Andrews, NB
Selected Group Exhibitions
2025
Made in New Brunswick Exhibition - Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton, NB
2024
Sweet Delights - Gallery 78, Fredericton, NB
10th Anniversary Exhibition - Sivarulrasa Gallery, Almonte, ON
Christmas Choice - Gallery 78, Fredericton, NB
Autumn Arrivals - Gallery 78, Fredericton, NB
2023
Dash - Sunbury Shores Art and Nature Centre, Saint Andrews, NB
Blossoms - Spicer Merrifield Gallery, Saint John, NB
2022
Art on Paper - Pier 36, NYC
Dash - Sunbury Shores Art and Nature Centre, Saint Andrews, NB
Anniversary Exhibition - Sivarulrasa Gallery, Almonte, ON
Affordable Art Fair - NYC
Winter Salon Show - Clarke Gallery, Lincoln, Massachusetts
December Choice - Gallery 78, Fredericton, NB
2021
Year One - Spicer Merrifield Gallery, Saint John, NB
Artist Choice - Gallery 78, Fredericton, NB
Art on Paper - Pier 36, New York, USA
Colour Call - Clark Gallery, Lincoln MA, USA
Dash - Sunbury Shores Art and Nature Centre, St. Andrews, NB
2020
Regrouping - Clark Gallery, Lincoln MA, USA
Gathering Blooms - Gallery 78, Fredericton, NB
Christmas Choice - Gallery 78, Fredericton, NB
6th Anniversary Show - Sivarulrasa Gallery, Almonte, ON
Kitchen - Sivarulrasa Gallery, Almonte, ON
2019
Art on Paper - Pier 36- New York, USA
Still - Cathy Ross & Susan Paterson Gallery 78, Fredericton, NB
Holiday Small Works - Collins Gallery, Orleans, Cape Cod MA
PTOWN POP UP - Clark Gallery, Provincetown
2018
A Closer Look - Solo Exhibition, Sunbury Shores Arts & Nature Centre
Feast - Buckland Merrifield Gallery, Saint John, NB
December Choice 2018 - Gallery 78, Fredericton, NB
Smoke - Group Exhibition, Buckland Merrifield Gallery, Saint John, NB
2017
Swan Song - Buckland Merrifield Gallery, Saint John, NB
Small Wonders - Gallery78, Fredericton, NB
Instructor’s Showcase - Sunbury Shores, Saint Andrews, NB
Painting, drawing and Sculpting Realism - Gallery 78, Fredericton, NB
2014-2016
Instructors of Sunbury Shores - Sunbury Shores, St. Andrews, NB
2016
Welcome Spring - Gallery 78, Fredericton, NB
Red - Renann Isaacs Contemporary Art, Guelph, ON
2015
Out of the Garden - Gallery 78, Fredericton, NB
2014
Objects of Desire - Peter Buckland Gallery, Saint John, NB
My Favorite Things - Gallery 78, Fredericton, NB
Still Life - Renann Isaacs Contemporary Art, Guelph, ON
2012
Home and Garden - Harbinger Gallery, Waterloo, ON
2010
Two Canadian Families in Art: Ross & Forestall - Peter Buckland Gallery, Saint John, NB
2009-2010
Annual Group Exhibition - Harbinger Gallery, Waterloo, ON
2008
Docent's Choice - Beaverbrook Gallery, Fredericton, NB
Publications
2021
Createdhere Magazine, Presence of the Person The Painting Practice of Cathy Ross by Véronique Thériault
2020
Small Truths, The Art of Cathy Ross, St Thomas University, Essay by Ray Cronin & Forward by John Leroux
2014
Awesome Art Times Two - The Grand / Barbara Aggerholm
2009
When she isn’t being a mom, she’s painting - Waterloo Record / Barbara Aggerholm
1994
Cathy Ross: Flowers and Still Life - Arts Atlantic / Maria Kubacki