Artist of the Week: Ross Collado
Seattle may be notorious for its niche cafes and scenic waterways, but locals know that it’s also home to a range of people who love to be creative. This city is full of artists we love to feature weekly on Seattle Refined! If you have a local artist in mind that you’d like to see, let us know at [email protected]. And if you’re wondering what makes art, that’s the beauty of it; it’s up to you! See all of our past artists of the week in our dedicated section.
Seattle Refined: How long have you been creating? What media do you work with?
Ross Collado: As far as I can remember, I started when I was six. My siblings, cousins and friends have relied on me for anything that requires creativity. I would use crayons or watercolors to create personalized greeting cards and visual aids for the classroom for them. I studied computer science in college, which distracted me from my creative side for a while. Until recently, during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and BLM protests in Capitol Hill that I had more free time, I started painting again. Only this time I wanted a medium that could express emotions with depth and texture, and I switched to acrylic. The first artwork I sold was a commission for a Seattle-based art collector and friend.
Tell us about your artistic process and the different phases work into it.
My process is very intuitive. I start with a concept in mind, but the brushstrokes and choice of colors gain some stubbornness and develop the artwork into something else. It’s like walking through a creative tunnel of exploding colors and ideas waiting to be brought to life by a stroke of the brush. There are days when it takes about 30 minutes to work on one piece, then I take a step back and check whether I’m happy with the composition. I don’t go to bed if I’m not satisfied with the piece. Otherwise I would just cover it with white paint. Overall, I am enjoying the whole process and I think that as an artist I am constantly developing.
Tell us where your inspiration for your art comes from.
Cities and nature inspire me. I’ve lived in cities for more than half of my life, but I was born and raised in an idyllic, almost remote rural village in the Philippines. I grew up living close to nature, surrounded by mountains, forests, farmland with a picturesque view of an island volcano in the middle of a lake. As a college student, I got used to and preferred to cosmopolitan Manila life among the city’s lights and skyscrapers. When I moved to the USA in 2013, I felt at home in Waikiki, Hawaii, a vibrant city in the middle of nature. In 2016, Seattle became my new home and I totally and absolutely fell in love with life in the Pacific Northwest! My hikes have taken me to so many beautiful places with breathtaking and breathtaking views of mountains, waterfalls, lakes and coasts. I just love living here.
Do you have a certain “beat” that you like best – nature, food, profiles, etc.?
Yes I do. Abstracted amalgamations of landscapes, sky landscapes, water landscapes and cityscapes usually fill my canvas. But on the other hand there will be some other elements that transform the whole piece into something otherworldly or spirit worldly. I am fortunate to have patrons whose commissioned work has led me to create art that is outside of my usual subjects.
Do you have a work of art that means more to you or is something very special to you?
“Nightfall” is the first commissioned work that I have worked on for a variety of reasons. It means a lot to me because it paved my way to become a serious abstract painter. The piece also evokes intense feelings and memories in me, as I was working on it at the height of the pandemic in 2020 in addition to the stormy BLM protests in Capitol Hill. And then, months later, the same customer who commissioned “Nightfall” gave me the piece back. He tells me that my soul seems trapped in this painting and it’s only right that I get it back. I’ve created another commissioned work for him that evokes a more peaceful environment.
What experiences in your life have influenced your art the most?
Aside from the multi-faceted circumstances that lead to “Nightfall”, I think that a lot of travel and exploring various hiking trails are constantly driving my art. I love to find beauty all around me and I am equally committed to portraying the same beauty in a different way that touches the heart, mind and soul.
If we want to see more of your work, where should we find it?
Like any social media savvy artist, you can find me and my art on Instagram. I recently did a soft launch of my website. I am glad that I am steadily expanding my network of customers and art collectors who have found me through word of mouth. Nowadays I find that very astonishing. I also have some mini-exhibits in some Seattle coffee shops.
- IG: ross.collado
- Website: rosscollado.com
- Cafes: Capitol Hill: Espresso Vivaci, 532 Broadway Ave. East, Seattle, and SLU: Espresso Vivaci, 227 Yale Ave N, Seattle
What’s next for you Is there something you are working on right now that you are really looking forward to?
I always look forward to painting more and building my collection of works. A lot of what I’ve painted lately sold as soon as I posted it on social media or coffee shops. I have to keep up with new art to replace the pieces that have been sold. I want to continue this dynamic to establish myself as a Seattle based artist. Hopefully I’ll make another breakthrough and have my work exhibited in a real gallery or museum.
Finally, how do you take your coffee? (We ask everyone!)
Simply black or with oat milk now and then.