Kristen Ross is a landscape painter based in Boulder, Colorado who loves exploring Nature’s wild spaces. Her outdoor adventures inspire her to create works in acrylic and oil that celebrate the vibrant detail of the natural world. Through her art, she hopes to inspire appreciation for the world we all share by revealing its complexity, fragility, and interdependence.
Her process typically starts with a hike. She photographs her favorite views and uses her sketchbook to capture the feel of the place on site. Back in her North Boulder studio, she combines her sketches, plein air studies, reference photos, and research into a finished piece.
While her unconventional use of color and line expresses the feeling of exploring each location, Kristen’s work is grounded in her study of the ecology, geology, and history of each place she paints. She is captivated by the delicate balance between seemingly opposing concepts: realism and abstraction, tradition and experimentation, planning and intuition.
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Kristen earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Rhode Island School of Design. Her work is exhibited in galleries across Colorado and is held in collections throughout the United States.
Out of appreciation for the wild places we all share, she donates a portion of all proceeds from the sale of her work to the National Park Foundation, the National Parks Conservation Association, and Planet Wild.
Galleries + Retail
Aspen and Evergreen, Estes Park, CO
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder, CO
Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO
Crowd on Pearl, Boulder CO
Fern and Skye, Denver, CO
Park City Museum, Park City, UT
Shows + Recognition
2025
Crested Butte Arts Festival, Crested Butte, CO / Best in Show
Sojourn (solo exhibition), The Crowd Collective, Boulder, CO
Pearl Street Arts Fest, Boulder, CO
Infinite Vistas (group exhibition), Threyda, Denver, CO
Firefly Fall Market, Denver, CO
2024
Pearl Street Arts Fest, Boulder, CO / Featured Artist
Golden Fine Arts Festival, Golden, CO / Best in Show: painting
Boulder Star Card official artist
Firefly Fall Market, Boulder, CO
Small Originals (group exhibition), The Crowd Collective, Boulder, CO
2023
Golden Fine Arts Festival, Golden, CO
Kimball Arts Festival, Park City, UT / Best in Show: emerging artist
Pearl Street Arts Fest, Boulder, CO / Honorable mention: 2D category
Cheesman Park Art Fest, Denver, CO / Featured Artist
Evergreen Mountain Art Festival, Evergreen, CO
Dreamscapes (group exhibition), The Crowd Collective, Boulder, CO
Summer Pop-up Shop, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder, CO
Firefly Spring Market, Denver, CO
2022
Peaks to Petals (group exhibition), The Crowd Collective, Boulder, CO
Summer Pop-up Shop, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder, CO
Women Artists Making Their Mark, O’Hanlon Center for the Arts, online
Firefly Holiday Market, Denver & Boulder, CO
Latest from the Studio
Below are the latest images from Kristen’s Instagram. She actively uses this platform to post studio news, show her process, and interact with collectors.
