University of Richmond Art Professor Awarded VMFA Fellowship

August 29, 2005

Fiona Ross, adjunct assistant professor of art at the University of Richmond, has been awarded a Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Fellowship for 2005.

Ross was one of 12 professional artists winning an $8,000 award. Hers was for her drawings, which will be on exhibit along with her sculpture at the Lora Robins Gallery on campus, Sept. 21-Dec. 18. Her drawings are made with sumi ink on Japanese paper and tend to have subject matter influenced by fractals, plant growth patterns and map projections.

Current images of her art can be found on her Web site at www.fionaross.net.

“VMFA Fellowships provide essential support for artists who wish to advance their careers or further their education,” said Michael Brand, director of the museum.

Ross plans to use the grant for art supplies, improvements to her studio and documentation and promotion of her work.

Twenty-four graduate and undergraduate students also won awards from $2,000 to $6,000 apiece. The professional and student awards totaled $200,000.

In the 65 years in which VMFA has presented Fellowships, the museum has awarded more than $3.2 million to 930 professional and student artists who are permanent residents of Virginia.