ARTIST STATEMENT 

Frances Ross creates sculpture and works at the intersection of art and function. Her practice builds on twenty years spent in industry, working in the fields of construction and engineering materials and solutions. Material experimentation is central to Ross' work, which explores process to capture rhythm, repetition, movement and gesture, and treats materials as an active participant in the making process. 

Ross' work is created through mould making and slip casting. In ceramics, slip casting from a mould normally guarantees that shapes and forms can be replicated time after time. Ross' processes alter that expectation, aiming for every piece to be different and for the materials to be an active partner. In her CASCADA works, liquid clay is gently poured down a mould, allowed to take its own course down the surface and around obstacles. In her Earthbound sculptures, porcelain is mixed with metal needles, resulting in the piece forming its own configuration of cracks and fissures during the firing process.    

Public engagement in clay is an important area of Ross' practice. She conceived and developed a collaborative participatory making project, FLOCK, commissioned by Upland Arts Development. FLOCK was delivered to schools 2024-2026 where over 1,200 children and young people made ceramic birds. The project culminated in a debut installation of the FLOCK in May 2026.