Charles Ash

I love working quickly using a calligraphy brush on rough paper, going for the zen of the moment. I keep the colors pure while at the same time letting the paper do the work; looking for happy accidents that I can exploit. Many times I will take a scene and modify the composition to minimalize the basic elements to maintain a deceptively simple beauty.
The subjects I choose to paint tend to have an interesting massing, a layering of elements and a quality of light and shadow. I am always looking for new views and experiences. As I travel, should I come across a striking scene I may simply take a picture for future reference, draw a quick sketch or paint on site. Many times I will remember scenes and sketch from memory while I have an idle moment. My work draws from the forms, colors and experiences of the desert Southwest; an enjoyment in the act of painting expressing a simpler, more casual approach to life.
Open skies, storms coming in, sweeping vistas, mountains and grasslands all call for broad strokes and bold light and shadows. I strive for an economy of color and execution that can bring a landscape to life. These, I bring together with the Japanese aesthetic of "Bokusho", the art of abstract expressionism through the medi...

University of Arizona - Bachelor of Architecture

GOVERNMENT & CORPORATE COLLECTIONS

Valencia County Meadow Lake Community Center Los Lunas
New Mexico State Police Headquarters Gallup
Hobbs Medical Center
New Mexico Department of Labor Santa Fe
New Mexico State Highway & Transportation Department Santa Fe

The Phoenician Resort, Scottsdale
Don Imus, Imus Ranch, NM