Ayana Ross

It’s time! Let’s talk about Saving Our Sacred Selves. Please join me this Thursday; September 25th at 6:30PM @themocaga for a special artist talk. I hope to see you there!🌷 Saving Our Sacred Selves is on view at The Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia through October 25th. See link in bio for more information. Image of Parable of The Seer (Diptych), oil on canvas, 2025 by Ayana Ross Photography by Walker Bankson #Savingoursacredselves #art #exhibition #atlanta #figurative #artist # #ayanarossart #ayanaross #artisttalk #atlantaart #contemporanyart #museum #mustsee #mocaga

Celebrating two major anniversaries and announcing 2026 Duncanson Artist-in-Residence events 🎉 The Taft Museum of Art marks two major anniversaries in 2026: the 175th anniversary of Robert S. Duncanson’s landmark landscape murals and the 40th anniversary of the Duncanson Artist-in-Residence Program, one of America’s longest running residencies dedicated to community engagement and artists of color. As part of these anniversaries, we are excited to announce the events for this year's Duncanson Artist-in-Residence, Ayana Ross' time in Cincinnati! You can learn more and explore the lineup of events, including her exhibition 'Beyond the Picturesque' at taftmuseum.org/DAIR #TaftMuseumDiscovered Photo by Carol Rose of Colurwrk Photography

Representative Louvenia Dorsey Bright. The first African American woman and woman of color to serve in the Vermont State Legislature. Wife, mother, educator, an advocate for civil rights, gender equality, and parental equity. And now, her likeness has a permanent home on display in the Vermont State House.

I am beyond grateful to have been a part of this project.

“The Time is Right for Bright” 🌷 #ayanarossart #louveniadorseybright #vermontstatehouse #officialportrait #oilpainting

Opening THIS WEEK! 🖌️ "Beyond the Picturesque: The American Landscape as a Site of Memory, Identity, and Continuity" The Taft Museum of Art proudly welcomes Ayana Ross as the 40th Duncanson Artist-in-Residence with a presentation of seven figural paintings. Known for her emotionally resonant portraiture and narrative storytelling, Ross captures the quiet strength and complexity of Black life, reflecting everyday moments that carry deeper meaning. Often drawing on her own experiences, her work explores intergenerational themes, current events, and cultural conversations shaping our world. Through ornamentation, Ross anchors her work in memory, preservation, and continuity. In this collection of paintings, she employs picturesque landscapes as a decorative motif, offering echoes of American ideals, elevating the subjects within her paintings, and inviting viewers to reflect on the world we have inherited and the one we continue to shape. Learn more and join us for the Opening Celebration for her residency and exhibition at taftmuseum.org/Picturesque #TaftMuseumDiscovered - Ayana Ross (American, b. 1977), Seed For The Sower, 2024, oil on canvas, 60 x 48 in. Collection of the artist. Photo by Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

Final days. Final moments. Final chance to experience Spinning a Yarn. A few glimpses from inside the gallery—where stories unfold in layers, memory lives in material, and each piece invites you to look a little closer, a little longer. This exhibition has been a space for reflection, imagination, and connection—and if you haven’t stepped into it yet, now is the time. Join us for one last visit. Gallery Hours: Thursday – Saturday 12–5 PM

Girl power on full display. ✨ On International Women’s Day, we opened the new season of the ADAMA Arts Salon with a conversation that felt nothing short of serendipitous. With Esohe Galbreath @esohegalbreath guiding the dialogue and our two incredible honorees Lynn Marshall Linnemeier @lynn2linn and Ayana Ross @ayanarossart sharing their stories, the room was filled with brilliance, reflection, and deep creative energy. The conversation moved between memory, artistry, and legacy—reminding us why spaces like this matter. Artists, collectors, scholars, and community gathered together, listening closely and witnessing the power of women shaping culture in real time. The energy in the room was inspiring. Thoughtful. Electric. One of those moments where you could feel something special unfolding. Honestly, we couldn’t have planned it any better. What a way to open the season. 💐 Missed the conversation live? Catch the replay on our YouTube channel. Link in bio! #ADAMAArtsSalon #InternationalWomensDay #BlackArtMatters #WomenInTheArts ADAMAATL.

As I look over photos from the Flowers x Seeds Gala, I can’t help but feel grateful. It truly was a night for the books 🌷 You can see “Remember Me”, and all of the stunning pieces in the Spinning Yarn exhibit, now until April 4th at @adama_atl #adamaflowersxseeds #spinningayarn #art #exhibit #ayanarossart

Well, that was pretty amazing! The @adama_atl Flowers x Seeds Gala was an extraordinary event-I’m still pinching myself. This community has played such a big part in shaping who I am as an artist. I’m so grateful to have been part of this year’s celebration and recognized as the Seed recipient. Congratulations to Lynn Linnemeier @lynn2linn , who received her flowers as the Flower honoree. I will forever cherish this memory. Everyone was so beautiful! Swept up in the moment, I didn’t get to take many photos, but here are a few that were shared with me. With much love🌷 #Adamaatl #flowersandseeds #atlantaart

✨ A Night of Story, Lineage & Living Memory ✨⁠ ⁠ Join us this Saturday for the FLOWERS x SEEDS Gala, where we unveil Spinning a Yarn—a powerful joint exhibition featuring our Flower recipient Lynn Marshall Linnemeier and Seed recipient Ayanna Ross. 🧵🌺🌱⁠ ⁠ “Spinning a yarn” is a phrase traditionally associated with women’s storytelling — a practice rooted in intimacy, labor, and transmission. These are stories told in pieces, shaped by memory, repetition, and imagination rather than strict linear record. It is history carried in the hands. Wisdom passed in fragments. Meaning preserved, altered, and reanimated across time.⁠ ⁠ This framing is especially resonant for the work of Lynn Marshall Linnemeier and Ayanna Ross, whose practices draw from folklore, mythology, and family archive to explore how stories live on — how they stretch, shift, and survive. The Flower represents legacy and mastery. The Seed represents emergence and evolution. Together, their work becomes a visual conversation across generations.⁠ ⁠ 🌿 An evening of art, culture & celebration featuring:⁠ 🏆 Honoring Flower recipient Lynn Marshall Linnemeier & Seed recipient Ayanna Ross⁠ 🖼 An exclusive first look at Spinning a Yarn⁠ 🎭 Live performances & cultural experiences⁠ 🍽 A beautifully curated dining experience⁠ 💫 A community of artists, collectors & cultural caretakers⁠ ⁠ Be part of this extraordinary moment in Black art and cultural storytelling. Tickets are available now—secure yours today. 🎟✨

#ayanarossart🌷

Alchemy by Ayana Ross ayanaross.com🌷 #artist #ayanarossart #oilpainting #alchemy #whatwecandowithourownhands

This is a paid partnership with @thebennettprize 💫 This year the Bennett Prize celebrates their 10 year anniversary! Stay tuned for an announcement in February to see how they’ll celebrate. 🎉 Applications for the 5th round of the Bennett Prize will open up in April, and I encourage all women figurative realist painters to enter! Best of luck to all 💕 More information at ➡️ thebennettprize.org