Background
Ashton was born on the Isle of Manitoba, grew up in York and was educated at the Blue Coat School, London.
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James Ashton
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After being apprenticed to a pharmacist, he studied art at the South Kensington School of Art, London and at Paris.
Career
Ashton emigrated to Adelaide, arriving 11 January 1884 deciding to become a professional artist. He established the Norwood art school in 1886. Returning to Adelaide in 1895 he founded the Academy of Arts in Victoria Buildings, Victoria Square, and for over 30 years was the best known teacher of painting in South Australia.
He was president of the South Australian Society of Arts for four years and a founding member and longtime president of the Adelaide Easel Club.
He is represented by three pictures in the Art Gallery of South Australia, of which The Moon Enchanted Sea is the best known. Paintings by him are also in the Broken Hill, Bendigo, and other galleries.
He died at Adelaide on 2 August 1935 of intestinal obstruction due to hernia.
Membership
He visited England in 1894 and was elected a member of the Royal Society of Arts.
