Artist In Focus

Photograph of Linda Rossin
© Linda Rossin

Photographer: Karen Fucito

It was there that she was introduced to everything from Egyptian art to the Impressionists. As a teen, fashion became her fancy, and at age 16, Linda began working after school in a high-end clothing boutique. After graduation she attended The Cleveland Institute of Art, but stayed on at the boutique for another year to finance her education. But between school, job and commute, she dropped out due to exhaustion and discontent. “I wasn’t interested in the rage of abstract art that was being pushed on me — I was a realist and knew it.”

Bee Buffet 2.25 x 2.25“ / 5.71 x 5.71cm
© Linda Rossin

When Linda’s father discouraged her from pursuing a fine art career, she shifted gears back to fashion and was hired as a paste-up artist in the advertising division of a well known department store. It wasn’t long before Linda’s real talent was recognized and she was promoted to accessory illustrator. “In 1967, my art director moved to New York City to work for Mademoiselle Magazine and one morning, I received a call and was asked to ‘please’ come to New York.” Two weeks later, Linda left for the Big Apple!

Cruise Control, 3.25 x 4.25“ / 8.25 x 10.8cm
© Linda Rossin

Ms. Rossin’s advertising history in NYC spanned some 23 years. After her magazine experience, she became a freelance illustrator, graphic designer, agency art director, and manager for several advertising studios. By 1986, she started her own business and designed everything from promotional material to corporate logos. “The hours and pressure of advertising were insane, and I was told by someone very important to me to give up my business, or end up dead! I knew he was right.

Before closing her NYC office in 1990, Linda attended a huge exhibition of a world renowned wildlife painter. This only reinforced her ongoing desire to create paintings that included animals, and thus began her second career. Then a chance to fulfill a childhood dream of putting her feet on African soil opened due to a cancellation. Linda jumped on this opportunity and traveled throughout Kenya with the New Jersey Audubon Society for a month on safari. Could this have been fate?

By 1996, Linda had already made quite a mark in the wildlife art circuit, but as she was getting ready for a local show, she felt compelled to paint some tiny affordable works to help boost sales. At the event, a woman walked into her booth and raved about her miniatures. The lady was a gallery director and wanted these paintings for a major international miniature art show that was about to take place. “I was aware of miniature art but didn’t realize there were shows dedicated to this art form.” At that miniature show Linda not only won an award, but sold most of her submissions! She was hooked.

“ Although I also create large works, miniatures remain my joy and focus. I have a plethora of ideas in my head as well as concepts written on scraps of paper. There is no way I could paint even a fraction of these, if I were to only work large. Minis allow me to express myself more quickly, but time they do take, because nothing leaves the studio that is less than perfect to my eye.”

Linda’s inspiration comes from her wildlife encounters, but also from many artists whose work she admires. Specific moods are often drawn upon from the Old Masters, specifically their use of light, while color may be inspired by The Impressionists, as well as contemporary painters working in this style.

Although Linda may have refuted abstract art while attending college, today she has total appreciation for this art form in relation to composition, movement, and at times technique.

Each egg, crafted by a specialized egg artist, who is typically a member of the International Egg Art Guild, is presented as a gift from the artist on behalf of the American Egg Board, the marketing arm for America’s Egg Farmers. Once presented, the eggs may become part of the First Lady’s historical archive, as housed by the National Archives.

Societies and Affiliations

Society Awards

Although Ms. Rossin has accumulated hundreds of awards from many competitions and exhibitions, the following list reflects only the highest accolades paid by Societies for her works in miniature: