THOM ROSS preview

As a preview of his upcoming solo exhibition this July, Hemmings Gallery will feature a select group of paintings by artist Thom Ross. A true original, Ross is best known for his striking depictions of the American West. Packed with vibrant colors and bold brushstrokes, his paintings contain a deep questioning of history. For Ross, “I want my work to bring people closer to the American experience to understand its complexities, its beauty and its darker sides. History is never as simple as it seems.” 

Based in Santa Fe, NM Ross has worked in various media over years including large scale site installations. His 2005 work "Custer's Last Stand" was a reenactment of the Battle of Little Bighorn consisting of hundreds of individually painted, life-sized plywood sculptures at the original site of Medicine Tail Coulee in Montana. 

With his paintings, Ross restores a liveliness and complexity to often stale and over-simplified depictions of the American West. His decades-long fascination and respect for his subject is palpable: “The American West is a canvas, a place where history and myth collide. I paint it because it speaks to something primal in all of us—both the mythic and the real."