Biography

Born and raised in the Chicago area Fred Moss was drawing and sketching the world around him from an early age. He grew up visiting the Chicago Art Institute, often admiring the outstanding impressionistic and classical painting collection. He also saw the traveling shows, and was influenced by the master painters and Impressionist shows.

He attended the College for Creative Studies after receiving a partial school grant and earned a bachelor’s degree. After graduation he studied with renowned painter Romel De La Torre, who helped him convey on canvas his thoughts and feelings. He also studied at the Florence Academy of Art in his grandparents’ native country, Italy. There he found a subject matter that inspired him—the scenic towns and countrysides of Italy. Fred painted Florence, Lake Como, Venetian canals, and hiked the mountains of the Cinque Terre looking for scenic views to capture on canvas.

He has exhibited in several galleries and shows which include the Elmhurst Art Gallery, Mainstreet Art Center, Silhouettes Fifth Annual Exhibit, and Friendship Village. During 2004 and 2005 he participated at Art in the Barn, a juried art show. In 2007 he was accepted into the American Impressionist Society's 8th Annual National Juried Exhibition for his painting of "Springtime Flowers." In 2008 he will also be exhibiting at the North Charleston City Gallery. He has also painted Chicago and Italy cityscapes for limited edition prints which were signed, numbered, then distributed and sold in the Chicagoland area. The Adler Planetarium gift shop carries a line of the prints.

Over the years, he has done painting demonstrations for Friendship Village and taught a workshop at the Elmhurst Art Guild about the use of computers by artists. Fred continues to paint what moves him whether it be plein air studies, local botanic gardens, or paintings from his sketches of Italy.