Art in Novelene Ross exhibition ‘may lighten your moment’

One of the greatest compliments Novelene Ross has ever been paid, she said, was that she “looked like a happy woman.”

The compliment, paid by a casual Final Friday-goer, was in reference to artwork she had on display.

That simple observation meant more to her than all the accolades she had received during a long career at the Wichita Art Museum (where she was chief curator from 1990 to 2000).

“I thought, ‘wow, what a compliment – does my art say that?’ ” Ross said. “I am hoping that it has that effect on people, and I think this work especially can. There’s a sense of humor that goes into creating it and just a pleasure in being, a pleasure in looking.”

Ross, who resumed producing studio art in 2009, has an exhibition of some of her recent works hanging at the west-side gallery, Art & Frame, until March.

And she said she hopes people will be able to see the joy in the pieces there.

“It’s playful – they’ll recognize it immediately,” she said. “(Art) is a form of communication that is very old and continues to really thrive beautifully here in our Wichita community.”

Many longtime Wichitans may remember Ross from the museum, where she also was curator of education from 1973 to 1990.

Her career there inspired a love of teaching – helping both the casual and informed museum visitor understand the art on display and come to their own conclusions about what they were seeing.

Though long retired from the museum, the teacher in Ross is still apparent.

She would much rather explain her art and let it take the limelight than talk about herself.

The art displayed in “Real Obsessions” is a mixture of collage and paintings that have a clear modernist inspiration.

If the viewer is fishing for a theme in “Real Obsessions,” it may be a long time before one bites.

“There aren’t any great social themes here,” Ross said. “You aren’t promoting a cause. … It’s more of a purely decorative show.”

The genesis for the exhibition came from a chance estate-sale find, she said.

Bags and bags of old stamps were an inspiration for Ross, she said. From those stamps, she assembles patterns of color and texture in her collages.

Then there are paintings – of lake views and flowers – done in a sort of abstract expressionist style.

The aim is to provide happiness, she said.

“A happenstance conjunction of color and gesture may lighten your moment,” Ross said, gesturing to some smaller abstract pieces in the exhibition.

“Real Obsessions” is hanging at Art & Frame, 1317 N. Maize, until March 11.

There will be an opening night reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, during which light refreshments will be served, and – undoubtedly – Ross will happily educate inquiring guests.

This story was originally published January 19, 2017 at 6:23 PM with the headline "Art in Novelene Ross exhibition ‘may lighten your moment’."