TidesNet—Online Collections Entry Detail

DescriptionA mixed media painting by New Brunswick artist, Fred Ross, of a view looking towards Minister’s Island on the northeast back side of St. Andrews, New Brunswick. It dates to perhaps the 1990s. In the 1890s, Minister’s Island was transformed into the summer estate of William Van Horne, president of the Canadian Pacific Railroad, and is now preserved under ownership of the Province of New Brunswick and managed by a private charity. Fred Ross was born Saint John, New Brunswick in 1927. As a teenager, he began studies with Ted Campbell at the Saint John Vocational School and soon after graduating, in 1949, went to Mexico and studied with Pablo O'Higgins at Taxco. Ross returned to Saint John and then, the following year, briefly visited Mexico again and met Diego Rivera. He then began a nearly 20 year career teaching at the Saint John Vocational School as supervisor of art. In 1970, he resigned to spend full time on painting. Primarily known for his figurative and mural work, his landscape painting of Minister’s Island is less typical within his career’s work. Over his career, his paintings were exhibited nationally (the National Gallery in Ottawa), internationally (art gallery of the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C) and in more than 80 other exhibitions. He was the recipient of numerous honors (in 1990 he was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts; in 2002 he was made a Member of the Order of Canada; and in 2008 he was inducted into the Order of New Brunswick). Ross died in 2014 at the age of 87. His Minister’s Island painting was acquired by the Tides Institute from Tim Isaac Antiques of Saint John, New Brunswick. Photo caption: mixed media painting by New Brunswick artist, Fred Ross, of a view looking towards Minister’s Island on the northeast back side of St. Andrews, New Brunswick. It dates to perhaps the 1990s. Artist: Fred Ross Medium: Mixed Medium Classification: Paintings Old Accession Number: 220