Ros Ford RWA, RE is a painter and printmaker. She initially studied Art & Design at Bristol College of Art before gaining an MA in Printmaking from Chelsea School of Art. In 2008 she returned to The University of West of England Bristol and gained a further MA in Multidisciplinary printmaking
She has taught in schools and colleges, worked as an artist in overseas development projects for VSO and initiated and run many different art projects for people of all ages. The focus of her work is now printmaking.
She is an elected member of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers, London, RWA Academician (Royal West of England Academy)
Her work has been shown in galleries across the UK, is in a number of important collections and has won national prizes and awards.
Her recent etchings are based on hidden industrial landscapes close to her home and studio. She makes drawings and photographs on location that she then develops into series of prints and paintings.
Qualifications include
2008
MA Multidisciplinary Print, University of the West of England (merit)
1974
BA Art and Design, Bristol Art College 2.1
1975
MA fine art printmaking, Chelsea Art school
1976
Art Teachers Certificate, Brighton
Work in Public Collections
2020
Bath Royal United Hospital
2018
The British Museum, London, HRH Queen Elizabeth’s collection as one of RE boxed set of prints
2017
Bristol University
2016
Royal West of England Academy
2009
Royal West of England Academy
2007
Bolton Museum and Art Gallery
2006
Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt
2004
Bath Royal United Hospital
Artist Residencies
2012
Swansea Print Workshop – Drawn to Print
1998-99
Leigh Court Farm, Bristol – A year recording an organic horticulture and walled garden restoration project
Awards/Prizes
2018
Scuola Internazionale di Grafica, Venice, awarded Visiting artist Fellowship – Royal Society or Painter-Printmakers
2016
Elected as an Academician to the Royal West of England Academy (RWA)
2015
Teresa Knowles Travel Bursary, to spend time in Italy making work. Prize from Drawn exhibition, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
2014
Shortlisted for John Ruskin Drawing Prize
2013
Prize winner Wells Art Contemporary 2013
2012
Selected as ARE (Associate of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers)
2009
RWA Open Print exhibition purchase prize
2009
Joseph Webb ARE Commemorative Fund Award from RE
2008
The Rebecca Smith Fine Art Prize, University of the West of England
2002
International travel award to research a Journey in Egypt – South West Arts
1998
Bristol/Guadalajara Printmaking exchange travel to Mexico -British Council.
1997
One of five Konicus artists group – A4E Arts Council grant
Exhibitions include
2025
RE Mini Picture Show 2024-5 Bankside Gallery, London
Other Worlds: New Works from the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers, Burton Gallery, Bideford, Devon
Print Press & Roll, Centrespace Gallery, Bristol
2024
RA Summer Exhibition 2024
RWA Cafe
RE Original Prints 2024
London Original Print Fair with Bankside Gallery, RE Printmakers
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA) Print Prize (selector)
2023
Kenny Gallery RWA (Royal West of England Academy), Bristol PRESS: Original Prints by RWA Academicians (curator)
Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, London
RWA (Royal West of England Academy), Bristol – 170th Annual Open Exhibition
Victoria Gallery, Bath, Guest Artist, Bath Society of Artists
RE Original Prints, Bankside Gallery, London
Kenny Gallery, Street Life, (Royal West of England Academy), Bristol RWA
Touring exhibition,www.rwa.org.uk Postcards for Perechttps://www.bvstudios.co.uk/bv
2022
North House Gallery, Manningtree, Essex – Out of the West
RWA (Royal West of England Academy), Bristol – 169 Annual Open Exhibition
Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair
Bankside Gallery, London – RE Original Prints
RWA (Royal West of England Academy), Bristol – This is Me The Kenny Gallery
2021
6 Chapel Row, Bath – To Have and to Hold
RA (Royal Academy of Arts) Summer Exhibition
RWA (Royal West of England Academy) 168 Annual Open Exhibition
Atkinson Gallery, Millfield, Street – RE Printmakers Exhibition
2020
10th International Printmaking Biennial Douro 2020
168 Annual Open Exhibition, RWA (Royal West of England Academy)
Woolwich Contemporary Art Fair- The Online Edition
New Work by the RE: Printmakers In Lockdown
Bankside Gallery, London
10th International Printmaking Biennial, Douro 2020
A Decade of Print – Bristol, Venice and Further Horizons
RWA (Royal West of England Academy) – Academicians’ Gallery (solo)
2019
THE MASTERS: Relief, Bankside Gallery, London
167 Annual Open Exhibition, RWA (Royal West of England Academy)
Guest artist Bath Artist Printmaker Exhibition, Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institute
4th Global Print, Douro Institute Museu do Douro, Regua, Portugal
Summer Exhibition, RA (Royal Academy of Arts)
Emerging Landscapes: A New Normality RWA (Royal West of England Academy)
Guildhall Chambers, Bristol (solo)
RE Originals, (Royal Society of Painter Printmakers) Bankside Gallery, London
2018
Woolwich Contemporary Art Fair
166 Annual Open RWA (Royal West of England Academy)
Broadway Arts Festival Open Art Competition – Highly Commended
Print Rebels, Bankside Gallery, London
Selected as contributor to the Print Rebels box set of prints which is in the collections of the British Museum, London and HRH Queen Elizabeth’s collection.
Summer Exhibition, RA (Royal Academy of Arts)
Scuola Internazionale di Grafica, Venice, solo exhibition
Women of the RWA as a part of Women with Vision, Royal West of England Academy
2017
TRACE, Bankside Gallery, London
Rewind, Wells Art Contemporary (WAC), Bishops Palace, Wells
165th RWA Annual Open, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
NOPE (National Original Print Exhibition) Bankside Gallery, London
Sydney contemporary Art Fair (representing RE Printmakers)
Drawn – the RWA, Bristol
2016
The Masters – Intaglio Printmaking Bankside Gallery, London
164th RWA Annual Open Exhibition, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
Wells Art Contemporary, the Bishops Palace, Wells
National Original Print Exhibition, Bankside Gallery, London
RWA@The Atkinson, Millfield, Street, an exhibition of Royal West of England Academicians elected over the past 5 years
Summer Exhibition, the Royal Academy, London. Room VII work no 749: Footbridge, Sparke Evans Park, etching and aquatint
RE Original Prints 2016, Bankside Gallery, London
London Original Print Fair, Royal Academy, London. Exhibiting with Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers
Impress ’16 Printmaking Festival, Stroud. Drawn to Print at The Printmakers Gallery
2015
163rd Annual Open Exhibition, Royal West of England Academy (RWA), candidate for election as an RWA Academician, the Fedden Gallery
Binôme, une rencontre franco-anglaise; Binôme, a franco-british encounter, Gallery 93/39 Romainville, Paris. Printmakers from studios in Paris and Bristol collaboration exhibition
National Original Print Exhibition, Bankside Gallery, London
Summer Exhibition, RA (Royal Academy), London
RE Originals, Bankside Gallery, London
Drawn, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
2014
Recording Britain Now, partnering V & A Exhibition Recording Britain, Millenium Gallery, Sheffield
Summer Exhibition, RA (Royal Academy), London
R E Original Prints – Annual Members Exhibition, (Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers )Bankside Gallery, London
Etching the Landscape, Royal United Hospital, Bath
Autumn Exhibition, RWA (Royal West of England Academy), Bristol
2013
Tres Talleres Ingleses: Veintiúno Ponots de Devista, Cuba
Wells Art Contemporary, Wells
Summer Exhibition, RA (Royal Academy), London
Drawn 2013, RWA (Royal West of England Academy), Bristol
Drawn to Print, The Cove Gallery, Swansea and Spike Print Studio, Bristol
2012
R E Open Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers Exhibition, London
Autumn Exhibition, RWA (Royal West of England Academy), Bristol
DIPTYCH : A COLLABORATION, University of West of England
2011
Summer Exhibition, RA (Royal Academy), London
Autumn Exhibition, RWA, Bristol
Bite, Print exhibition, Mall Gallery, London
2010
Originals ’10, Mall Gallery, London
2009
Drawing in Printmaking, Chapel Row Gallery, Bath
Perspectives, Black Swan Gallery, Frome (solo)
IMPRESS ‘09, National Printmaking Festival, Stroud
Open Print Exhibition, RWA, Bristol
Annual Exhibition, Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers, Bankside, London
Hidden Impact : Prints in the City, Temple Meads Station, Bristol (co-ordinator)
2008
Future MAsters, UWE (University of the West of England)
Through the Lens, open photography exhibition, RWA, Bristol
Originals ‘08 printmaking exhibition, The Mall Gallery, London
2007
From a Modern Land, Bolton Museum & Art Gallery, Bolton (solo)
Autumn exhibition, RWA, Bristol
Re_turn, Mashrabia Gallery of Contemporary Art, Cairo
2004
The Garden, painted and Engraved, Wine St. Gallery, Devizes
Open Printmaking, RWA, Bristol
2003
Heartworks, Six Chapel Row Contemporary Art, Bath
2001-13
FRONT ROOM, exhibition Bristol
2002
Imagining the book, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt
2000
Painters Abroad, Six Chapel Row Contemporary Art, Bath
2005
A journey in Egypt, the Art Gym, Hengrove, Bristol (solo)
1998-2005
Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery -Egyptology display (solo)
2003
Fruits, vegetables, flowers, Bath Royal United Hospital (solo)
2000
A Garden in Transition, the CREATE Centre Gallery, Bristol (solo)
1998
Egyptian Embassy Culture & Education Bureau, London (solo)
1996
Lady of the West, Konicus artists Gallery, Bristol (solo)
1995
Moving Lives, The British Council, Cairo, Egypt (solo)
1993
Still Lives Mashrabia Gallery, Cairo, Egypt (solo)
1998
Egyptian Embassy Culture & Education Bureau London (solo)
1997/8
Bristol/Guadalajara Printmaking exchange Bristol and Mexico
1997
Five artists from Konicus, Leigh Court, Bristol
Commissions/ events include
2015
Binôme, une rencontre franco-anglaise; Binôme, a franco-british encounter, Paris – a collaboration between printmakers from studios in Paris and Bristol
2012
City Running, Bristol (funded by Arts Council England with MAYK)
2003-14
Private garden painting and etching commissions
2009
Mural, Bloomfield Care Centre, Paulton, North Somerset
2003
Changes : Memory Palette commissioned by North East Somerset Arts
2001-2
Bike cut up by… sponsored by Howies and Foulds -Inside Space London
Teaching experience includes
2010 – 14
Etching tutor, Spike Print Studio, Bristol
2009 – 14
Drawing and Print tutor, Bristol Drawing School
2012
Etching and photopolymer workshops, Swansea Print Workshop
2009
Adult drawing workshops, Black Swan, Frome
2009
Primary school drawing workshops, art week, Frome
2007
Primary school workshops, Bolton
1997-13
Tutor, drawing, painting & printmaking courses and workshops, Bristol, Mexico City, Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales
1994-95
Facilitator art workshops for children – the British Council, Cairo, Egypt
1997-2000
Visiting lecturer – department of Textiles & Surface pattern BA course, Somerset College of Arts & Technology, Taunton, Somerset
1976- 86
Art and design secondary school teacher – Wiltshire/Bristol
Work with Arts and Development organisations include:
2017 –
Council representative RE (Royal Society of Painter- Printmakers)
2017 –
Council representative RWA (Royal West of England Academy) elected Vice President 2018
2009 –13
Committee member, Spike Print Studio, Bristol
2009
Co-ordinator, HIDDEN IMPACT: prints in the city, Bristol
2003-4
Committee member, Open Studios for Bristol, Arts Council South West
2004
Mentor, Old Bakery Artists open Studios, Radstock with NESA (North East Somerset Arts)
2003
Co-ordinator Chew Valley Arts Trail
2001/2/3
Founder and co-ordinator FRONT ROOM exhibition/art trail, Totterdown Bristol
1989-95
Co-founder, director, trainer, ACT (Appropriate Communication Techniques), a NGO (non governmental development organisation) Cairo, Egypt
1987-89
VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas), Egypt
Archive
Throughout her career Ros Ford has made a wide variety of paintings and prints including many about Egypt, trees, gardens and travel.
Links
Royal Society of Painter Printmakers
Welsh Onions and Going to Work paintings