After being at the Bowen Center for the Arts for only a week, executive director Ginny Greenwood is already announcing a new show.

Running through Feb. 19, the works of deceased artist Frank Ross will be on display at the center.

According to Greenwood, the exhibit will feature nearly 60 pieces produced from 1935 to 1988, with more than 45 of the pieces for sale.

"He painted from 1935 on, so he went through the abstract period and cubism and on, so you can see all of those styles from the European styles to the abstracts," Greenwood said. "He went through generations of painting and it's really neat."

The show features works from Ross' European and American styles from painterly realism through cubism and abstractionism. His mediums were oils, watercolor, pastels and pencil on both large and small canvas and board.

A German native, Ross settled in Berlin after serving in the army. There, he met and was influenced by the well-known Munich artist Clemens Fraenkel. It was then that he made the decision to devote himself to the visual arts.

In 1935, Ross left Germany and settled for two years in an art colony in Positano, Italy. Through exploration of styles and influences, he developed his expressive realist style in times of great unrest for free thinkers.

In 1937, when Italy was no longer safe, he and his wife immigrated to New York City. He had his first One Man Show at the Modern Art Studio on Madison Avenue of paintings he produced in Positano.

In New York, he shared a studio and ideas with German artist Eugene Spiro. It was there he began his interpretation of objects as abstraction.

"He escaped Berlin, moved to Italy for a few years, went to New York City for a few years and he painted all throughout," Greenwood said.

Ross produced art for more than 60 years. Throughout his career, he was witness to movements from realism to abstract and his unique perspective reflects in his historical body of work, according to Greenwood.

"It's going to be a really high profile show," she said. "We're really going to get as many people as we can out here. It's going to be a great show."

The Frank Ross retrospective exhibit will be holding its reception from 2 to 4 p.m., Jan. 11 at the Bowen Center.

For more information, call the Bowen Center for the Arts at (706) 216-2787