Marie-Thérèse Ross MRSS

Marie-Thérèse Ross explores the hidden workings of the mind, focussing on states of physical, emotional & psychological transformation. Her work appears humorous as well as darkly subversive, as she seems to hide herself in plain sight. She seeks to both reveal and hide difficult childhood memories, episodes that reflect on her own sense of vulnerability and mortality. She makes anthropomorphic furniture as well as mythological creatures & birds, at times incorporated into atmospheric installations with accompanying music creating immersive environments. Her work might hang on the wall, lean, or sit between wall and floor, or move completely into the physical space of the viewer. Sculptures are fragmented to capture the sensation of movement, including flight, as well as the drawn line. Imagery is used as a container for our consciousness, and the vehicle in her exploration of themes.

Her sculptures are made of a combination of laminated wood parts, found objects and up-cycled wood, which is carved away and painted, adding an extra layer of expression and meaning to the whole. Found objects are integrated and sublimated into the works. The mass of wood echoes the drawn and cut-out lines found in her drawings and collages, lending itself well to her process of working.  Dowels join and secure pieces together, often left exposed rather than smoothed away and hidden. Surfaces are not polished, the grain of the wood is left visible, and the process of making revealed.