Marnie Ross is a contemporary painter based in Sydney.
Her abstract works are a response to organic forms, in particular the evolving shadow patterns seen in the natural environment. Nature’s ever-changing designs created by light,movement and time inspire multi-layered compositions of vividly coloured shapes.
We are pleased to have Marnie Ross join us as part of our El Rancho Collection. We had the opportunity to ask her some questions about her process and influences and share the interview below.
Can you tell us how you became practising as an artist?
I have a background in Graphic Design and have been a practising artist for about 15 years after completing a Masters in Art at UNSW Art & Design.
Can you talk us through your creative process? how do you usually go about making your work?
In recent years I have been inspired by my immersion in the Australian landscape; bush paths, rural vistas and undulating valleys, experienced with the full spectrum of light patterns throughout a day. Through the processes of cropping and layering, shapes influenced by nature have been reduced to their most basic forms. Explorations of colour and texture are also an integral part of my work.
What is your preferred medium/s to work with?
The contrast between soft dusky tones and saturated bold colours are further enhanced by the variation in acrylic paint application with thin frosty glazes revealing the textured wood or raw linen surface below.
How did you develop your personal style and how has it changed over time?
My previous experience in printmaking has had an influence on the way I apply paint, layering techniques and activation of surfaces. Over time my abstract landscapes have been reduced to minimal compositions, directing the focus to colour relationships and tones.
What do you hope people feel or take away when experiencing your work?
Essentially my art practice is about stopping, observing and then capturing a moment. I hope people will experience a sense of nature’s ever-changing designs created by light, movement and time.
Do you have a favourite colour? Any reason?
Yellow has always been my favourite colour, also one of my first words! It’s such a happy colour.
Tell us a bit about the artworks you've made for the El Rancho collection. What does this work mean to you?
In this new body of work inspired by the El Rancho collection, I have focused on desert style landscapes and big skies in sunset hues.
Your collection has come together beautifully. Is there one piece in particular that stands out to you and why?
For me the hero piece from this collection is ‘First Light Under Lavender Skies’. I enjoy the simplicity of the composition, the limited colour palette with warm tones over a subtle wood grain texture.
