James Ashton

James Ashton (4 April 1859 – 2 August 1935) was an artist and arts educator in South Australia.

Early life Ashton was born on the Isle of Man, grew up in York and was educated at the Blue Coat School, London. After being apprenticed to a pharmacist, he studied art at the South Kensington School of Art, London and at Paris. He married Mary Elizabeth Rawlings Turnbull on 27 December 1880.

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.

Personal life He died at Adelaide on 2 August 1935 of intestinal obstruction due to hernia. He was survived by his wife and a son and a daughter.

His son, Sir John William Ashton, became a well-known artist and was appointed director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney in 1936.

Works Ashton is represented by five 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.

Works held by the Art Gallery of South Australia are: Where reeds and rushes grow c.1899 Sunset on the gulf 1900 The moon enchanted sea 1910 Sand dunes c.1916