Who is Scribe?
Who is Scribe? Did your parents name you that?
I get asked this all the time. My name is Donald Ross, but everyone calls me “Scribe.”
Thirty years ago, I resided in Boston, Massachusetts.
While walking streets or riding subways, I discovered a genuine interest in street art because of the vibrant, bold colors and large scale. I was in awe of the walls. I started to venture out. With the love of graffiti and all those great cartoons of the 40s to the '80s, I needed a nickname. A title.
A scribe is defined as a person who serves as a professional record keeper, storyteller, or penman.
It seemed perfect!
In 1993, I moved to Kansas City, Missouri, to attend college at the Kansas City Art Institute.
I quickly met my best friend, Alisa. We were married in 2001. She is a talented fiber artist, and we often collaborate on pieces and gallery shows together. Over the last 20+ years, we have had two children, cared for four adorable pups, and made extensive connections to this city. My biggest passion is creating art, specifically for kids. Or like-minded adults :)
During my time, I have painted multitudes of murals (many nationally known), designed my vinyl toys, written three children's books, and done dozens of gallery shows.
After years of doing large-scale murals around town, It was a blessing to be scouted by a Facilities Director at Children’s Mercy Hospital; they were looking for a new look and feel. We focused on maintenance, signs, and art, leading into Art Direction. I worked with special projects and managed art across all levels of care. Over my 18 years there, I gained vast amounts of knowledge on the facilities side and the patient side, from taking codes and safety requirements into consideration to planning art days for the patients with Child Life.
I have been a part of it all. I worked closely with the Child Life Department, gaining input on the needs of children and visitors and creating safe and comforting spaces and environments during typically stressful times.
There is way more to my story; stay tuned as I work on new entries and posts!
Be good!
“Scribe”