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Artist Statement -




Manifesto of American Verismo
By Jerry Ross, 2012

"American verismo", a movement that I have recently founded, is a catch-all phrase for an artistic style that draws its main inspiration from Italian art, both classical and modern.

There is an implied nostalgia for work done “dal vero” (after life) whether classical (Raphael, Rubens, or Caravaggio, etc.) or 19th century (the Tuscan I Macchiaioli school) or more contemporary.

Verismo is somewhat akin to contemporary “atelier realism” but the latter has been criticized for an academic uniformity and its over attention to details.

American verismo is more poetic and linked to post-impressionism, the Milan-based Scapigliatura (‘wild hair’) movement, and the I Machiaioli’s commitment to social issues.

But like atelier realism, American verismo is associated with a painterly sketching style, use of broad brushstrokes, and the alla prima, “direct attack” technique of painting.

It is also linked to all'aperto (open air) impressionist-style landscape painting. In short, to pleinairism which has become widely popular in recent years.

I first introduced the term during several classes he taught at the Maude Kerns Art Center in Eugene and then later at the "Angels Fight Road Art Center" plein air retreat up the McKenzie River (Oregon) during the summers of 2010 and 2011.

A “social verismo” aspect of the style is political and makes comments on society and often depicts scenes with political or moral narratives.

In “verismo” there is also the belief in the importance of making sketch studies from old master paintings and sculptures. As a result many of my paintings are "comments" on old master works. I am fond of Rubens, Rembrandt, Caravaggio, and Raphael for this purpose,

In addition, the principle of abstraction is important in this approach to painting, and, in fact, abstraction is evident in verismo work. Some of my work gets minimalist and the abstraction levels are high without apology.

Artist Exhibitions



2012 October 2012 "Club Macchia" Brownsville, Oregon

2012 August 23rd: The Mayor's Art Show (Jacob's Gallery) August 23 – October 6, 2012

2012 August 1 - August 15th "RELATED" a 4-person show, Jerry Ross, Diane Bush, Mick Grosz, AND Natalie Korchowski Queen City Gallery, Buffalo, New York

2012 July 28th Fiesta Latina, Eugene, Oregon

2012 March 2 - April 2 Runyan Gallery, Nye Beach Newport, Oregon

2011 November 18-December 23 Maude Kerns Members Show

2011 Nov 4-13 Visual Arts Showcase -- Beaverton, Oregon

2011 Oct 7th Second Friday Art Walk Springfield Library -- Plein Air Association

2011 Sept-Oct 8th Eugene Mayor's Show 2011

2011 Sept-Oct "La Poetica del vero" -- Eugene Yoga and Tamarack Wellness Center

2011 The Moon Upstairs Gallery, Springfield

2011 Cafe Soriah April 20-May 18

2011 The Eugene Jazz Station 124 W. Broadway Two month exhibit

2010 Dec 12th Open Studio American Academy in Rome, Italy

2010 Oct 16, 17, 23, 24 DIVA Open Studio Tour

2010 Sept-Oct Soriah Cafe and Bar

2010 July CafeZenon, Eugene

2010 Ongoing El Corral Restaurant

2010 April and May LaFollette Gallery

2009 February 5th - March 27th -- 20th Annual Juried Show Las Vegas
note: Juror: Shana Nys Dambrot

2009 January 30th-February 21st-"Uprising" Springfield Museum

2008 November - DIVA Gallery One -- Nov 25 thru December.

2008 October 18-19,25-26 -- DIVA Studio Tour

2008 September-Oct Eugene Mayor's Art Show

2008 June-July -- Olympic Trials Exhibit -- Eugene Airport

2008 August 29th -- Silvan Ridge Wine ry, Eugene, OR

2008 May 30th -- TrackTown USA -- Maude Kerns -- Eugene

2008 May 21 thru June-- Opus6ix Gallery, Eugene -- three paintings

2008 December - Springfield Museum

2008 November - DIVA Gallery One

2007 November -- The Springfield Museum, Springfield OR (Solo Exhibit)

2007 May 11th -- Tsunami Bookstore, Eugene, OR -- Angela and Jerry Ross' Poetic Hoo Haw Celebration ........[[press release]]

2007 Dec-Jan Jacobs Gallery, Eugene, Oregon -- Plein air show

2006 Oct-Nov La Follette Gallery, Eugene,Oregon

2006 10-18 June -- Comune di Loiano Sala Fantazzini di Loiano, Italy

2006 May -- Opening-- Show in Corsico (Milano) -- Circolo Artistico Frigerio

2006 Opus6ix Gallery Eugene, Oregon - Ongoing Exhibit

2006 March-April David Joyce Memorial Gallery Lane Community College

2006 March Adell McMillan Gallery -- University of Oregon EMU

2006 Feb-March Eugene Wine Cellars 255 Madison Eugene, Oregon

2006 Feb 4-12th Rastignano, Italy -- "Colori d'Europa", La loggia della Fornace (Bologna)

2006 Jan 28th -- Art Talk-- U of O Art Museum-- Post-Impressionism/European Art

2006 Jan 25th -- Art Talk-- Maude Kerns Art Center -- Figuration

2006 Jan 18th -- Class begins -- Maude Kerns Art Center -- Italian Modernism

2006 Jan 13th Opening Show -- Maude Kerns Art Center -- Figures From Life -- "Aesop"

2005 Adam's Place and Luna's Jazz Center

2005 Bicycle Exhibit -- "California Girl"

2005 Salon des Refuses -- "Arrivo a Bologna"

2005 Opus6ix -- Eugene, OR -- Opening June 16th.

2005 Downtown Initiative for the Visual Arts -- One Man Show -- May through June -- Eugene,Oregon

2004 Barrio's Cafe in Milano, Italy -- Dec 2 through Dec22nd
2004 Eugene Wine Cellars, 3rd & Madision, Eugene, OR Nov and December

2004 Fiesta Latina-- Springfield, Oregon -- Sept 10, 11

2004 "Connections" Contemporary Arts Collective (CAC) Las Vegas -- Juried Exhibit -- August 21 through September 25th
2005 MAy-June Downtown Initiative for the Visual Arts --

2004 "The Human Form" Juried Exhibit -- Visual Arts Center -- Newport, Oregon -- June 4 through August 1

2004 Instructor's Show -- Craft Center - University of Oregon -- February

2003 Downtown Initiative for the Visual Arts (DIVA) -- December Grand Opening Show.

2003 Lane Community College, Eugene, OR - Bookstore sale of reproductions of "On the Road to LCC"

2003 New Zone Art Collective -- Window Shows in 2003

2003 Marghitta Feldman Gallery, Pearl District, Portland, Oregon, one-person show in October

2003 Aesthetic Surgical Arts & Skin Enhancement Center, Eugene, Oregon April, May, June

2003 Chetwynd Stapylton Gallery, 615 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205 March-April

2002 Galleria d'Arte La Borgognona Rome Italy: One Man Show June 26 - July 15

2002 Galleria d'Arte La Borgognona Rome Italy: Group show

2002 January: Maude Kerns Art Center: Group Show

2002 January: Tre Amici Cafe: 14 paintings

2001 December: Heron Building, Eugene: Holiday Exhibit

2001 November: Willamette Annual Juried Show: Juror's Award

2001 October: The Gallery at Evergreen Court, North Bend, Oregon (August 4 - October 28)

2001: September: Salon des Refuse, Eugene

2001 June: Jacob's Gallery, Hult Center, Eugene, Oregon (June through August)

2001 Theo's Jazz Club (now closed)

2001 Axis Gallery, Florence, Oregon

2000 Mayor's Art Show, Eugene, Oregon

2000 Cafe Soriah, Eugene, Oregon

2000 Comune di Loiano, Loiano (Bologna), Italy

2000 WOW Hall (Community Center for the Performing Arts), Eugene, Oregon

2000 Cafe Cabiria, Florence, Italy (Piazza S. Spirito)

2000 American Consulate in Milan, Italy

1999 WOW Hall (Community Center for the Performing Arts), Eugene, Oregon

1999 Collier House (Faculty Club), University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon

1999 American Consulate in Milan, Italy

1999 Comune di Loiano, Italy (June 17-July 3rd) opening evening of June 17th

1999 Tino's Restaurant, Eugene, Oregon

1998 Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay, Oregon

1998 Collier House (Faculty Club), University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

1998 Salon des Refuse -- Maud Kerns Art Center, Eugene, Oregon

1997 New Zone Art Gallery, High Street, Eugene, Oregon

1997 Collier House (Faculty Club), University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon

1996 New Zone Art Gallery, High Street

1996 Full-City Coffee House, Eugene

1996 Salon des Refuse

1995 New Zone Art Gallery, High Street, Eugene, Oregon

1995 Hult Center, Mayor's Art Show, Portrait of Bob Devine

1994 Hult Center, Mayor's Art Show, L.A. Rebellion

1994 New Zone Art Gallery, High Street

1993 New Zone Art Gallery, High Street

1991 Salon des Refuse

1989 Hult Center, Mayor's Art Show, Portrait of Oreshnikov

1985 Artist's Warehouse, Monroe Street, Eugene

1980 Arakunen Gallery, Florence, Oregon
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Artist Collections



Pam Hoffmeister, Eugene, OR
Tim Kendall, Eugene, OR
Bob Wilson, Corvallis, OR
Tamara Stensholl, Eugene , OR
Gordon Anslow, Eugene, OR
James and heresa Leonard, Eugene, OR
Kathleen Nason, Turner, OR
Michael and Pat McNutt, Eugene, OR
Cristen Braatz, Eugene, OR
Renee Nelson, Eugene, OR
Shauna Daughters, Eugene, OR
Adam Bernstein, Eugene, OR
Alexandre Albert-Galtier, Graveson, France
Alice M. Roach and Duff Gilchrist, Eugene, OR
Amie Mack, Culver City,CA
Andrea Guerra & Polly Piva, Bologna, Italy
Andrea Pitts, Alexandria, VA
Andrew Fareell & Terry Falkenstein, Eugene, OR
Angela Ross, Eugene,OR
Ann C. Pongracz, Las Vegas, NV
Anne Bettman, Eugene
Ann Bixby, Eugene, OR
Annette Foster, Marnay, France
Bev Stonecypher, Eugene
Bill & Shirley Freeman, Ajo, Arizona
Bob Keefer, Eugene, OR
Bobby Devine and Diane Oxley, Eugene, Oregon
Brenner, Susan, New York, NY
Brunella Gregori, Milan, Italy
Caroline Passerotti, Eugene, OR
Carolyn & Lynn Kranzler, Eugene, OR
Catherine Meeks, Eugene, OR
Charles DeLataire, Eugene, Oregon
Christine Kerhoe, Eugene, OR
Christine Menager and William Trotter, Eugene, Oregon
Ciceri Santina, Corsico, Italy
Clarice Zdanski, Italy
Commune di Livergnano, Italy
Commune di Loiano, Italy
Daniel and Cindy Ray, Eugene, OR
Daniel Moret and Paula Staight, Eugene, OR
Daniela & Carlo Bianchi, Loiano, Italy
Darrell Jones, Eugene, OR
Dave Crory, Eugene, Oregon
David & Paulette Rich, St. Paul, MN
Deborah Sedowski, Eugene
Diane Bush & Steve Baskin, Las Vegas, NV
Dierdre Cavan, Eugene, OR
Doug Smyth, Eugene, Oregon
Dr. Adam Morton, Lancaster, UK
Dr. Dennis Collis and Jeanne Collis, Eugene, OR
Dr. Ron Cuevas and Lynn Cuevas, Eugene, OR
Earl Moursund, Eugene, OR
Enrica Patti, Milan, Italy
Erin Royce, Eugene, OR
Ezio Bramieri, Corsico,Italy
Francesco & Federico Avignonesi, Porano, Italy
Frank Bennett, Tonkawa Road, Long Lake, MN
George Turner, Eugene, OR
Genessa Ches, Eugene, OR
Genessa Waite, Eugene, Or
Harve Waff, Eugene, OR
Heather McArthur, Eugene, OR
Helene Compton, Pahrump, NV
Horst Lueck, Eugene, OR
James Rodota, Sacramento, CA
James Titus, San Francisco, CA
Jan Helfer, Eugene, Oregon
Jayson Troughton, Roswell,GA
Jennifer Boyce, Eugene, OR
Joey Labrie & Tom Bergeron, Dallas, OR
John and Allison Bennington, Eugene
John Bennington and Allison Hassler, Eugene, OR
Joseph & Star Ches, Eugene, Oregon
Jud Turner, Eugene, OR
Karen Ann Alvarado, Eugene, OR 97405
Kathy Larkin, Eugene, OR
Kelly and Wayne Allen, Eugene, Oregon
Kenton Kullby, Eugene, OR
Kim Tardie, Eugene, OR
Lane Community College, Eugene, Oregon
Larry and Maile Carter, Eugene OR
Lidia Vitali, Corsico, Italy
Louranah Singer-Janeski, Eugene
Maria Carlo Claudi, Rome, Italy
Marie T. Raney & Jonathan M. Raney, Portland, OR
Martine, Compton, Ann Arbor, MI
Mary Alison, Eugene, OR
Mary Henzie, Eugene, OR
Mary Newman, Eugene, OR
Mary Spilde, Eugene, Oregon
Mayor Kitty Piercy, Eugene, OR
Michelle and Robert Consentino, Eugene, Oregon
Molly Beauchamp, Eugene, OR
Nan Lawrence, Eugene, OR
Pam Hoffmeister, Eugene
Patrica Stamps, Eugene, OR
Philip Raia, New York, N.Y.
Phyllis Temple, Eugene, OR
Pier Cesare & Elena Bori, Bologna, Italy
Piero Perissinoto, Corsico, Italy
President's Office, Lane Community College, Eugene, Oregon
Randall and Kimberly Klein, Eugene, Oregon
Richard and Marsha Wright, Eugene, Oregon
Robert Smith, Eugene,Oregon
Roberto Bagnioli, Bologna, Italy
Ron & Anita Gross, Buffalo, NY
Ron Ford, Tannersville, PA
Rosalyn DeRoos, Eugene, OR
Sarah L.Ulerick, Eugene,OR
Sedate Redfield, Eugene, OR
Shauna Daughters, Eugene
Sheri Pyron,Eugene, OR
Simonetta Romagnolo, Milan, Italy
Steven Walker, Clovis, CA
Susan Green, Eugene, OR
Thaddeus Konar, Eugene,Oregon
Thomas Brase and Julie Haugen, Eugene, OR
Tim and Haralyn Craig, Eugene, OR
Tim Smith, Eugene, OR
Toni Nisdall, Eugene, OR
Tracy Berry, Eugene, OR
Troughton, Shannon, Indianapolis
Tullia Pasi, Corsico, Italy
Valerie Pederson, Minneapolis, MN
Wendy M. Ames and Toraja Matias Ames, Cincinnati, Ohio






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