Let
me tell you a little about myself
When I was very young, as in pre
school, like most children I loved to draw and color pictures but in my case
coloring books were too easy and boring so I began to freehand draw and do
paintings. What I did wasn’t really exceptional but I did a lot of it
especially when I began school. All through my school years doing art was my
favorite activity using mainly pencil, ink and paint mediums. People around
me thought I was very good at it and encouraged me to continue but when I
got to my teenage years my interest in it decreased because of other
interests. After graduating from high school going to college was out of the
question because there were five boys and one girl in my family and we
couldn’t afford it. My dad was in the automotive collision business which
interested me a little so I got a job in an auto body shop. I excelled in
that profession and ironically became highly skilled at painting cars and continued in it for about twenty-five years even owning
my own body shop for several years. During that long period of time doing
art was virtually non-existent.
In 1993
I suddenly decided to go buy some art supplies and do some art work. I did a
painting of a wrestler (click here
to see it) which amazed me how well it turned out so I did another one and
couldn’t believe how good these paintings were after twenty some years
without touching a paint brush and then out of the blue turning out art like
that. I was totally floored by my ability to do this. I must have been
born with this gift to create art because I have never attended any art
schools or classes or have been influenced by any artists or instructors.
After about a year or so and a
couple dozen paintings later I was talked into entering a major art show in
my home town at a large shopping mall. I entered five paintings thinking
there is no way I'll win anything but what the heck I went for it anyway. I
didn't even hang around for the judging. On the day of judging to my total
surprise and disbelief I received a phone call from a friend who informed me
that I had a second place ribbon. honorable mention ribbon and a first
place best of show (click
here to see "Girl In Hotel" best of show painting) ribbon on my
paintings. This was a life changing event for me because for the next five
or six years I quit my other professions and devoted all of my time and
effort into my art and was even awarded artist of the month twice which
includes being featured in a large write up with photo in the news paper
(click here to see these).
I had to reluctantly back off trying to do art full time because in my
relatively small home town I couldn't make enough money at it to live above
the poverty level. So currently I am doing my previous professions and am
doing art on the side which mostly consists of custom airbrush painting on
motorcycles and race cars, however I do hope to move back into being a
professional artist full time again some day.
Please take the time to see all of my web site to see
my full range of mediums and subjects that I have worked in. One of my
special interests is doing portraits but I am open to about any subject or
medium. I will consider doing commission work upon request. All you need to
do is e-mail me your name, general description of what you want and your
e-mail address and or phone number and I will reply as soon as possible.
My most current activities have been focused on custom
airbrushing on race cars and motorcycles so click
here to see these.
Thank You Very Much, Dan Ash
e-mail dan_a_808@hotmail.com
