Laurenne ROSS (can-USA)
Olympian Artist – Photography, printmaking, ceramics: Beijing 2022
Laurenne Ross started skiing with her father at the age of two in the Canadian Rockies. After relocating to Oregon with her family, Laurenne made the US Alpine ski team in 2006 and competed in six World Championships, as well as two Olympic Games (Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018).
Alongside sports, Laurenne grew up playing the piano, violin and guitar. She studied art at the University of Oregon. Laurenne was already dabbling in photography, printmaking and ceramics. She then took her passion for art all over the world while travelling for her ski competitions.
Laurenne takes her camera with her wherever she goes and photographs all the places she discovers. She has been taking photographs with a film camera since she was 10 and still uses one today, as she believes the arduous process of shooting and developing film is an art form filled with magic.
ARTISTIC PROJECT
AMALGAMATE
FRUITION
REMINDER
Questions and answers
What does being an Olympian or Paralympian mean to you personally?
Being an Olympian has allowed me to see the world through two sets of eyes: from the perspective of a professional athlete and from the perspective of an artist. My travels as an Olympic skier have inspired much of my artistic work, and allowed me to view different cultures from a more balanced and nuanced perspective. It takes hard work to become an Olympian, and bringing that motivation and inspiration from sport into my art shapes who I am as a person.
What do the Olympic values mean to you?
Excellence, friendship and respect are three key values that I try to bring to my everyday life. Overcoming obstacles together is an enormous aspect of being an Olympic athlete, and this inspires excellence in all aspects of my life. Friendship is the foundation of who I am as an athlete. The relationships I’ve cultivated throughout my career as an athlete are very important to me and give me real support. It takes respect to live with compassion.
How do you explain to people that the Olympic Games are more than just a sports competition?
The Olympic Games are an incredible opportunity to come together as “one team” to represent your home country and to root for athletes across all sports, regardless of their background. It’s obvious that the Olympic Games are about more than just performance, though that can be hard to see from an outsider’s perspective. The Olympic Games are ultimately about connection: the way we connect to each other across borders, disciplines and cultures.
If you could go back in time and give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to “enjoy the process!”. It’s not all about reaching your goals and becoming who you dream of being. Being an athlete is hard work – both mentally and physically – and there is so much joy to be found in the process. So, staying present and true to yourself, who you are right now, at this moment, is something I wish I had known when I was younger.
Are there parallels in your approach to your art and your approach to your sport?
Sport and art seem like completely disparate spheres of life, but they're more closely linked than we think. Participating in sport allows you to find that “flow” state and express yourself in the most authentic way. Art has a similar appeal; it provides the same feeling of grace. During my time as an Olympic athlete, art has allowed me to find some balance and has influenced how I practise my sport. Without art, I can't find true joy in sport.
Meet the artists
Olympian artists at Beijing 2022
