‘The not too good, the not too bad and the not too ugly’
An exhibition of works by Ross Roorda
To be held at T.Arts Gallery 75 Keppel St Bathurst
5th – 21st July 2025
All are welcome to attend the opening by Nic Mason from 3 pm on the 5th July at the Gallery
Ross’s Artist Statementt: I started reading faces early in life; it helped me navigate my way through many extremely violent, unpredictable, and unusual situations. It was here, as a further coping mechanism, that I began to draw faces, both human and animal, and they have been my main subjects for most of my life.
The work presented in this retrospective exhibition reflects a small part of the journey so far, including a self-portrait from 1984.
Although I paint faces, I don’t consider myself a portrait painter in the true sense because I am more interested in the essence of the person rather than the likeness, and as a result, the works have a naive quality.
The title of the exhibition, “The not so good, the not so bad, and the not too ugly,” is in reference to the works themselves and not the subjects. Many of the paintings in this exhibition have stood facing the wall in the shed and been forgotten for many years for various reasons, but usually because I don’t like them. In 2023, I was medically retired with PTSD and, as a result, lost a lot of confidence to the point where I nearly stopped painting. This exhibition is about letting go of the good, the bad, and the ugly and focusing on the present.
