Artwork By M D Ashland Is Available At Gallery 319, Ames, Iowa.
"I paint in acrylics and do ink drawings. I have always loved art and have been painting ever since kindergarten. I got my Masters of Fine Arts at Drake University in 1992. I enjoy continuing my studies in the arts. Since getting my Masters, I have earned three certificates from the Art Institute of Chicago based on studies of Old Masters’ techniques, and I attend meetings of the Portrait Society of America every year to observe the techniques of leading artists.
Over the past few years I have exhibited in juried shows in Iowa, such as the 'Community of Artist' at the Octagon Center for the Arts in Ames, 'Iowa Exhibited' at the Heritage Gallery in Des Moines, and the State Fair. Some of my more unusual commissions include a life-sized fiberglass hog, which I painted with scenes of Iowa soy bean fields. This piece is now in the offices of the National Pork Board. My most recent commission was from the Iowa Soy Bean Association. The giant fiberglass soy bean is encircled by a painting of soy bean fields that represent the four seasons. It is now in the home of the President of the Association.
I particularly like to paint Iowa landscapes, because I was born here. I paint from memory. My Iowa pictures often show a lot of sky, because the sky is such an important part of the Iowa landscape. Recently I have been enjoying doing ink drawings of naturalistic and abstract subjects."
