Box of Pens 

Beth J Ross

Open until 27th July 

The box of pens. Not all pens; pencils, crayons, highlighters and felt tips. Collected, lost, found and used over 15 years of motherhood. Randomly selected to colour one hundred and forty triangles on a grid (the rough number of pens in the box). Triangles, the same but different, repetitive, bright, dull, coloured with memories, reminiscent of the days and the similarities and differences, days of growing children, thousands of drawings produced over years, not sitting at the table drawing and colouring whilst I make tea any more. I sit and colour instead.

On 10th May the original drawings for this exhibition will be destroyed. They will only exist as digital works. Despite keeping drawers full of my children’s drawings and photographing more, many worked their way into the recycling bin, there were just too many. This exhibition is in memory of them.

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About the Artist  

Ross is a UK-born artist exploring themes such as memory, emotion, motherhood, place, and traces currently based in the North East of England. Having lived and worked across Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East, she draws upon her international experiences to investigate the intricate interplay between personal identity, cultural influences, feminine roles, memory, and the spaces we occupy. Ross creates paintings, drawings and installations that are characterised by their use of colour, shapes, and delicate layers of texture. She has worked with other materials such as neon and fabric to create works that resonate with the public and respond to the spaces they occupy.

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