Dean at School of Art Institute, reinvigorated Ox-Bow School
Edwin William Ross III was an artist and the longtime dean of continuing studies and special programs at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Ross, known professionally as E.W. Ross, also taught at the school as an adjunct associate professor. However, colleagues said he was proudest of his work in reinvigorating OxBow School of Art, a summer arts school in western Michigan that is affiliated with the School of the Art Institute.
“He was a landscape artist and just a student of landscape art, and he really enjoyed the environment there (at Ox-Bow) and involving people of all ages in programs,” said Ox-Bow board member Steve Meier, a friend for more than three decades.
Ross, 74, died of a lung infection Dec. 2 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, his son Dylan said. A Rogers Park neighborhood resident, Ross long had battled rheumatoid arthritis, his son said.
Born in Los Angeles, Ross received a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1967 from what is now San Jose State University. After college, Ross worked in sales for Procter & Gamble, selling industrial oils and fats to hotels, largely in the Las Vegas area.
Ross eventually found himself drawn to a career in the art world. From 1974 until 1976, he took graduate art classes at what now is California State University at Sacramento and worked odd jobs, his son said. In 1978, Ross moved to Chicago to begin pursuing a master of fine arts degree at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Ross’ own artwork mostly involved landscape drawings, with frequent depictions of humankind’s relationship to nature.
“Nature was a pretty foundational part of his work,” his son said. “He loved the ability to put symbols in his pieces. His best pieces that he either sold or that are family heirlooms tell a story or have some drama associated with it. And technically, he was a very precise, good drawer. From a layman’s perspective, he was able to depict things as they were.”
After completing his MFA in 1980, Ross began teaching at the School of the Art Institute. Initially, he taught art education and art therapy before also taking on a role in 1983 as a visiting faculty member at Ox-Bow in Saugatuck, Mich.
Ross later taught drawing at the School of the Art Institute and began overseeing nondegree programs. From 1994 until 2009, Ross was the school’s dean of its continuing studies and special programs. In that role, Ross worked to expand the school’s offerings from what had been a dozen Saturday classes to a more than 100-course program featuring an expanded curriculum aimed at everyone from beginners to more advanced students. He also worked to create community-based programs around the city.
In 1987, he became the part-time program director at Ox-Bow, and he held that role until 2009, also serving as Ox-Bow’s interim executive director from 2004 until 2005. He became OxBow’s full-time program director in 2009.
Ross worked to strengthen the School of the Art Institute’s ties to Ox-Bow, which offers yearround programs for artists at all stages in their career, including a 13-week summer residency program and other courses lasting one or two weeks.
“He moved heaven and earth to make sure that Ox-Bow would (continue),” said Richard Pearlman, a longtime friend. “He was such a remarkable guy — he encouraged people and was great with young people. He was the epitome of what you would think of as a teacher.”
Ross also participated in solo and group art exhibitions around the Midwest, as well as lecturing on art education around the country.
Ross retired from the School of the Art Institute in 2010. However, he continued to teach one class each summer at Ox-Bow.
A first marriage ended in divorce.
Ross is also survived by his wife of 36 years, Patricia Pelletier; a daughter, Katy; another son, Liam; a sister, Meg; a brother, Ben; and one grandson.
A service was held.