Born in 1948 in Gillingham, England.James Ross is a major contemporary New Zealand artist who has exhibited nationally and internationally since the 1970s.

His work has focused on a 'fertile collision of painting, sculpture and architecture' (Laurence Simmons, Introduction The Red Studio). Works by him are held in NZ and offshore collections. Ross has also been a curator of internationally-touring exhibits of contemporary NZ artists and edited various texts on NZ art.