Design and Art Australia Online

The silhouette artist S. John Ross was born and raised in Detroit, USA. He was about 11 years old when he first saw a silhouette artist working at the Michigan State Fair and was captivated by the skill of the cutter. After leaving school Ross worked and trained with the silhouette artist Budd-Jack for three years, working the fairs of the northern states of the USA. He later worked in Hollywood. Some of his early celebrity 'cuts’ included Stan Laurel, Al Jolson, Spencer Tracey and Mickey Rooney. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour he was drafted into the US Army. Corporal Ross arrived in Australia in 1942 and was later transferred to the Philippines. During the war years he was involved in protecting General Douglas MacArthur and celebrity entertainers such as Bob Hope. Ross made images of both these men and garnered notice in the wartime press for his skill with his trademark surgical scissors.

After the war, Staff Sergeant John Ross left the army and returned to Australia where he married a local woman. Since then Ross has toured the agricultural shows and fairs of Australia and has been a regular at the Sydney Easter Show since 1948. His long time connection with the Sydney show saw him awarded the title 'show legend’ for 2007. A man of great humour, Ross was heard to say that he would “rather be a living legend than a dead one.” He has also been a regular at the Royal Queensland Show (the Ekka), the Royal Adelaide Show and at Sydney’s Luna Park and Centrepoint Tower. Ross has created tens of thousands of portraits during his 60 year long career and Vivian Leigh, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Nicole Kidman, Sir Robert Menzies and Queen Elizabeth II are among his famous sitters.

Writers:

Clifford-Smith, Silas

Date written:

2008

Last updated:

2011