Bird Ross’ work revolves around an ongoing study of how disparate materials can be the perfect companions in any problem that needs solving. Bird has resolved many problems she’s me on her way to creating costumes, props, sculptures, tabletop theatre, installations, puppet shows, baskets, cards, clothing, hats, jewelry and most recently monoprints and paper constructions. She is fluent on the sewing machine and calm in a conundrum.
She senses total euphoria in working collaboratively with many artists including Brenda Baker, Paige Davis, Spatula & Barcode, Derrick Buisch and Tom Loeser. She also teaches courses encompassing a multitude of materials and open-ended solutions. Bird enjoys reading stories to kids and grownups as she did in “Lunch and Stories” in her back yard during Covid-19.
Bird founded the Mending Project in 2016, as an initiative of the Sewing Machine Project. This Project provides free mending to anyone with broken textiles and currently serves clients through the Central (weekly) and Hawthorne (bi-weekly) Public Libraries.
Along with Brenda Baker, Bird founded the Women Artists Forward Fund and the Forward Art Prize in 2018, supporting two women visual artists in Dane County annually with cash awards to buoy their art practices in unrestricted ways. It is the third largest arts endowment for women artists in the country.
Image: Bird Ross, Eight Fingers and Some Dots, 2023. Upholstery and hand-blocked fabric, sweater and kimono parts, cellophane, glove, vintage fabric and stitching.