artist Vicki Ross
A Creative Mind Indeed
by ©Peggy Gabrielson
"Research and continual study of art, techniques and materials are an important part of my daily route.”
Vicki started early in her life creating crafts as a child. She expanded her artistic expression through use of textile media. This set in motion her career as a fiber artist.
Her entrepreneurial skills developed in the 1980’s. She designed and published books under her business name Needleworks. Leisure Arts plus Coats & Clark are just two of the many that we might be familiar with.
In the early years of computers, she took it upon herself to acquire the knowledge, and skill of using a Mac for typesetting, and layouts for printing her books. Thus, lead the way for more opportunities. She offered these services to other printing companies.
Vicki’s many accomplishments include
- Needleworks Publishing, 1980’s
- Ross Marketing, a successful advertising and marketing company, 1992
- Founding and developer of MYArtTutor, 2009
- Accomplished fine artist exhibiting in national juried art shows
- Axully.com, a website platform offering tutorials from other artists, as well as her own. Her art and blog are also featured there.
- Creative Team Writer for Mixed Media Art.
Life for Vicki made a drastic turn in 2001. Having made a firm resolution and being resolved not to change it; after the sudden loss of her daughter, she started art therapy. Vicki's fine art career began.
“I’m most proud that I made a conscious decision to reinvent myself after the fire and loss of Sarah. The tools I used to survive are applicable to ANY life crisis…retirement, illness, divorce, empty nest, depression.”
With the help of tutor’s and mentors, she forged forward learning everything she could on the disciplines of the fine arts. Watercolor painting took hold of her first, studying under artist and published author Charles Reid. She then ventured into the world of pastels.
She credits Kippy Hammond and Urania Christy Tarbet, who became fast friends. Leslie B. DeMille for portraiture skills, and the late Ann Templeton as her tutor in oils. Not naming the many other professionals who helped her in her creative journey.
What is her favorite way of designing? Using her computer, photography and software to achieve the composition she’s after. She gathers information, bits and pieces, and puts them all together. Then the process of creating her art begins.
“I paint from my monitor. I rarely paint from a printed image unless it is in the early drawing stage.”
Vicki's creative art space consists of a 14’ x 10’ bedroom with a large closet. She enjoys listening to music, and her audio books while painting. It is an art studio environment embracing intuitive ideas.
“I find organization to be the biggest challenge with mixed media. Before art journaling, it was easy to have a segregated work space for pastel, one for oil, and a flat surface for everything else. It was easy to keep neat. Now, however, it looks like a tornado came through.”
Her advice for aspiring artists is to
- Find something that interests you, and then find the best experts to study with.
- Try to give it several months because anything you choose has a learning curve and an ugly stage.
- Allow yourself to be a child again, curious and eager to make a mess.
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