“India has always been a thread running throughout my life. India enriched my understanding as an artist of the importance of being connected to a true self, where passion, fluidity, energy, psychic upheaval and an openness of spirit can all be directed into the paintings and drawings.”
Arabella Ross, 2021
During the 23 years that my father lived in London, Kings Cross, I would frequently visit art galleries and the London National Film theatre with him. My father Jeremy Ross (1939 - 2019) set up a film school ‘Affect’ in the 1980’s. It was charitable trust to provide tuition to students who could not afford the London Film school fees. Mike Leigh was his main patron. His photographs of London in the 1970’s are held in the Museum of London Archives.
While studying for my B.A Honours Degree at Wolverhampton Polytechnic I was taught by Eileen Cooper RA, a visiting tutor at the time. I understood from many conversations with her how I could work from my imagination. This was further enhanced by a Postgraduate MA at Chelsea School of Art (1985 - 1986) where I had the privilege to be taught by Ken Kiff (1935 - 2001) and Christopher LeBrun.
Arabella Ross was born in Yorkshire 1959. Her Father, a ceramic sculptor, filmmaker and photographer, her Mother a ceramicist and linguist. She was brought up with the teachings of the Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895 - 1986) whose subject matter included psychological revolution, the nature of mind, meditation, inquiry, human relationships, and bringing about radical change in society. Her teenage years (1973-1979) were spent at The Krishnamurti international boarding school, Brockwood Park in Hampshire. A spiritual and intellectual ethos suffused the school. It became natural to grow up with a questioning mind and to seek a life with meaning and fulfilment. The artist’s Great Uncle Hubert Gervais Lennox Brain was an officer in the Indian Army during the second World war. He was Assistant Military Secretary to General Savary in New Delhi from (1940 – 1942) and became L.t Col. H.G.L.Brain 6th Royal Bn. 13th Frontier Force Riffles and Brigadier (1943 – 1945).
Aged 20, fascinated with Indian culture, "it’s life embedded in me" Arabella went to live in India for a year working and travelling. Aged 33 she returned to India for three months on a scholarship funded by the British High Commission in Kolkata to live and work with twelve Indian artist’s in an Artist’s village ‘ArtsAcre Foundation’ in West Bengal. She worked intensely alongside twelve Indian artists and held an exhibition in Calcutta with the British High Commission. Arabella exhibited over 50 charcoal drawings made in situ. Returning to India once more in (2009) Arabella trekked through the Himalayas from Ladakh with Rebecca Stephens – the first British women to climb Mount Everest. India continues to be a thread woven into the artist’s narrative.
