Self-Portrait

In this self-portrait Ashton depicts herself as a modern woman, active and thoughtful as she works in her studio. Here the making of art is a serious undertaking. With canvas and easel in front of her, Ashton looks to her left, contemplating the form of a still life or model, or possibly her own reflection in a mirror. Her left hand on her hip announces her confidence. Her gaze is intent and her right hand is flexed, as if she is reasoning through the complicated intellectual process of translating her subject onto her canvas.

Ashton was a Philadelphia-born painter and pastel artist celebrated for her vibrant depictions of urban life and leisure. She studied at the Philadelphia School of Design for Women (now Moore College of Art and Design), where she focused on fine arts after an initial interest in fashion illustration. She traveled extensively in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean, creating travel journals that documented her experiences and informed her artistic vision. Ashton served as librarian at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) from the 1950s through the 1970s, steeping herself in the history of art and mentoring generations of artists while maintaining a modest public profile despite frequent exhibitions.

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