Tay Ashton is a born colourist. She sees in her immediate environment patterns and shapes that are specifically Australian and she brings her heightened sense of colour to her images so as to express the richness of the Australian environment. Whether it is a peep in a rock pool or a glance sideways at a ray of light Tay brings a larger than life approach to these beautiful moments.
Tay was born in England and comes from an artistic background. As a child she would spend many hours drawing and painting. Her father was a professional musician and composer who encouraged her to pursue her love of art. Tay studied ballet and undertook dance classes from a young age, and later at age sixteen, she began a two year course at the ‘Nesta Brooking School of Choreography, Ballet, Drama and Art consequently cultivating her interest in the arts.
Married young then having five children close in age; naturally Tay was busy for many years.
Tay’s interest in design was active all through her children’s youth as she decorated her home, designed and made clothing and captured her children on film through photography.
Eventually Tay began hiring models for professional photographic shoots and commenced selling her work for editorial, advertising and creative purpose both here in Australia and in many countries overseas.
In due course Tay began finding photography a relatively limiting medium, and having more time on her hands, her interest in art was renewed. She started sketching and experimenting with acrylic paints and other mediums. Although largely self-taught, Tay also attended a number of courses at Hazelhurst Gallery in Gymea, New South Wales. At the beginning of 2003, she approached various galleries in Sydney, The Blue Mountains and the South Coast. Her work was positively received, and has sold well ever since.
In 1995 several years before his death, Tay’s father Don Harper worked with distinguished Australian artist and printmaker Pamela Griffith. Pamela travelled to Hong Kong as a representative of the Australian Government with Tay’s father and his jazz group. Pamela’s etchings produced for this project illustrate a compact disc of Don’s music 'Images of Australia' produced by the ABC.
Planning her first solo exhibition, Tay naturally turned to Pamela. Apart from plenty of sound advice, Pamela agreed to open the exhibition which was a wonderful endorsement for Tay’s work and helped Tay become established within the mainstream world of art.
Tay says her mission is 'to share the joy from colour that I get when I meditate on a theme or object. Once I have thought carefully about the way light refracts on an object I simplify it to emphasise the richness or essence of the colour/light experience so as to share it with others. Too few Australian artists allow the sun and elements to dictate a palette to them. It is my aim to brighten the lives of the people who enjoy my art.'
Tay takes to art later in life
BY MARIA GALINOVIC 10/11/2008 4:00:00 AM
THE fact that established artist and printmaker Pamela Griffith has agreed to open her exhibition has given Tay Ashton a big confidence boost.
Largely self taught with a few short courses here and there Ashton took to painting with a vengeance about seven years ago.
By that stage her five children were more or less off her hands and she had the time.
Ashton had been creative before then, of course, having studied ballet and choreography in her youth, and made a living for a while as a photo library photographer.
Versatile and experimental in approach, she explores various media and techniques to capture her mind's journeys. She is inspired by Cronulla, where she lives, the wider Sutherland Shire, and the south coast where she spent much of her life.
Some of the experimental edge comes from her time in England where she was born after her Australian musician father, the late Don Harper, had set up home.
``With my lack of education as an artist, I'm really happy Pamela Griffith has agreed to open my exhibition, as it helps endorse my work,'' she said.
