Ayana RossAyana Ross (b. 1977) is a figurative artist, storyteller and art educator whose work combines traditional oil painting methods, using figurative realism, with the elaborate treatment of patterns and decorative design as a visual language to evoke nostalgia, elevate her subjects, and provide deeper context into the work. Often spurred on by her family history rooted in the American South, Ross captures everyday people and moments, layering narratives that are autobiographical in nature, address social issues and make use of historical references. Ross' work examines topics of race, equity, identity, and a broad assessment of our value systems, while drawing parallels between small everyday experiences and the greater lessons that can be learned from them.

A Georgia native, Ross currently lives and works in the metro Atlanta area. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Painting from Savannah College of Art and Design (2021) and a Master of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from University of North Carolina Greensboro (2014).

Ross has been recognized as the 2021 winner of the Bennett Prize, the 2022 recipient of the NBAF Horizons Award in Visual Arts, and a finalist for the Sustainable Arts Foundation in 2023. Her work has been widely exhibited to include a current traveling solo exhibition, "Lessons I Leave You," which premiered in 2023 at the Muskegon Museum of Art and will tour the United States through 2025. Ross' work has been featured in the American Art Collector magazine and is held in a number of public and private collections.