Betty Ross Bio

“Among the several kinds of beauty the eye takes most delight in colors.” — Joseph Addison

It is one thing to watch and another to be involved in painting. I first started painting in Kaiserslautern, Germany, when my husband was stationed there with the U.S. Air Force. I studied under a professional German oil painter who stressed the use of a palette knife.

Returning to the U.S., I decided to continue my education, earning a PhD in Nursing from New York University. My demanding career in Nursing Education was fulfilling, but it left no time for oil painting.

Now, retired and living on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, I have returned to oil painting and began in earnest to study various artist’s techniques and styles. Studying with Barkley Sheaks, Thelma Peterson, Joe Adams and Carole Peirson broadened my perspective on the medium. In their own way, each of these artists contributed to my unique style.

With every subject I choose to paint whether it is people, flowers, a still life or Eastern Shore landscapes, I am first attracted to the colors and shading of the various shapes and then to the interplay between color and design.

Currently, I display my work at the Blue Skies Gallery, Hampton, VA and the Dragonfly Gallery, Onancock, VA