Patricia O'Keefe Ross Gallery
About the Gallery
Dr. Robert “Bob” Ross ’61 made a generous planned gift in 2011 to name the gallery in honor of his beloved wife, Patricia O’Keefe Ross. Over her 26-year career, she empowered hundreds of adult learners to discover their potential. She dedicated herself to promoting confidence within working adults seeking a formal education. The gallery stands as a symbol of O’Keefe Ross’s creativity in fostering learning and education.
Located in the Joseph S. Skalny Welcome Center at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford, N.Y., the Patricia O'Keefe Ross Gallery allows all visual arts media. The modest gallery features natural lighting.
Upcoming Exhibit - Fall 2026
1924: Looking Back at the Last 100 Years of Hodinohso:ni Governance, Self-Determination, and Sovereignty
Curated by Woodland Cultural Centre, Brantford, Ontario
Since 1924, the Six Nations of the Grand River have sustained dual governance systems representing their region in Southwestern Ontario. They are the most populous First Nations reserve in Canada, with members of the Mohawk, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Seneca, and Tuscarora bands living in the territory. This exhibit, curated in 2024 by Woodland Cultural Centre, chronicles the history and past century of governance of the Six Nations of the Grand River. Notably, it highlights the groundbreaking work of Deskaheh Levi General, who lobbied for Haudenosaunee representation at the League of Nations in 1923.
The George P. Decker papers [PDF], held within Archives & Special Collections at Lavery Library, contain a wealth of documentation about Deskaheh Levi General. Decker, a Rochester-based attorney, represented several Indigenous groups in the early 20th century in land claims against both the U.S. and Canadian governments. The Six Nations of the Grand River hired Decker, and he accompanied Deskaheh to Switzerland in 1923 in his attempt to educate the world about the plight of Indigenous people in North America. Deskaheh’s efforts were instrumental in advancing Indigenous rights and ultimately contributed to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples [PDF].
The exhibit showcases materials on loan from the Woodland Cultural Centre, as well as archival content from Fisher’s own Special Collections. Additional programming focusing on the exhibit to be announced for Fall 2026 – stay tuned!
For questions, contact Head of Special Collections University Archivist Julia Novakovic, at (585) 899-3730.
Gallery Submissions: Call for Artists
Fisher always seeks submissions from emerging to professional artists for solo or group shows and special programming to address contemporary issues. Before proposing an exhibition, please review our floor plans carefully to understand the scale of the space.
Gallery Exhibition Proposal Required Materials
Submit all required materials in a single PDF. You may email the proposal as an attachment or as a Google Drive link with open permissions. Please be patient as you wait to hear back from our committee.
Send proposals to our review committee at arts@sjf.edu.
Required Materials
- Brief Exhibition Narrative
- Artist’s Statement
- Biography
- CV (no more than three pages) that includes your art education, exhibitions, awards, and bibliography. For curated exhibitions or for group artist exhibitions, please also include artists’ resumes
- 10-15 images of work with corresponding information list
- The image list must include the title of the work, artist’s name, date, dimensions, medium(s), and any special installation requirements.
- Any potential University offerings you may be interested in as an exhibiting artist (e.g., workshop, public talk, gallery talk, demonstration).
Exhibition Proposal Narrative Details
Your narrative should include the following:
- Title of your exhibition.
- Your name, and identify yourself as a featured artist or curator.
- Specified solo or group exhibition. If group, include the names of the artist(s).
- Preferred dates of your proposed show.
- Your contact information.
- A description of the concept or theme of your proposed work.
- An explanation of any special equipment or other requirements you may need to present this proposed exhibition. Please note that no major modifications will be made to the space, and works cannot be hung from the drop ceiling.
- Indication on whether the accompanying images are the complete works for the proposed exhibition or are representative images only.
Digital Images for Exhibition Proposal
Include all digital images in your single PDF. Images should be clearly labeled with the title, media, scale, and date.
Artwork for Gallery Exhibits
Artists are responsible for the cost of delivery and return shipping for their work and their travel expenses. Some artists will be offered a modest stipend if chosen for exhibition depending on programming and distance. All works must be traditionally wired and prepared for proper handling and hanging. The University does not insure artworks in these galleries. The gallery has entry and exit surveillance, and doors are locked from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m.
