User:Ruhskie/Michael Ashton (artist)

Michael "Mike" Ashton (born August 23, 1970) is an Australian fashion designer, artist and photographer based in New York City, London and Sydney. He has collaborated on a variety of fashion and art related projects, most notably as head designer and creative director for the fashion house Yuhng.

Childhood
As a child he entered and won numerous local and national art competitions and was an active member of the school choir. Ashton was Australian cub scout or the year in 1983. His first foray to the fashion industry started at an early age when he was discovered in 1987 at the age of 17 by Australian model Ursula Hufnagl, the founder of Hufnagl Model Management, on the beach at Noosa Heads, Queensland, while a holiday. In His last year of secondary school he was persuaded to take a lead role as the scarecrow in the musical of the wiz although he was more interested in the set and costume design than his acting performance. Sport was an important part of school life, long distance running in particular was were he excelled and competed in the interstate cross country championships, 1985-86.

volunteering, patrolling and training the beach as a member of Kirra Surf Lifesaving Club.

His grandfather Harry Williamson (Wool classer) who was quote "A gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out." George Bernard Shaw

Education
Ashton attended St Mary's Primary School from 1977–79, and then went to St Edmund's College, Ipswich from 1980-86. Throughout this time he studied painting, drawing and design at the Quarry Art School. His final two years at secondary school were at St Peter Claver College, Riverview, 1987-88, where he was in an advanced art and design programme. After graduating he enrolled at the Queensland College of Art Brisbane, where he pursued a major in Graphic Design. After moving to Melbourne he attended drawing classes at the National Gallery of Victoria. While in London He took short courses in computer-aided design, life drawing and fashion illustration at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and the Royal College of Art, 1994-99. Now in New York, Ashton is enrolled at the Art Institute of New York City, 2012-present.

Australia
In 1991 Ashton moved to Melbourne, Australia, to work for Beeston Antiques. Later becoming a partner in the business and expanding it to London. specialising in English upholstered furniture Queen Anne to William IV

London
Antiques - 1993 Ashton moved to Earl's Court, London, where he lived and worked throughout the mid 90's to late 2000s. / registered dealer at christie's and sotheby's auction houses / member of LAPADA - Association of Art and Antiques Dealers/

Interior Design -

Fashion - Katharine Hamnett worked front of house for fashion shows 1997-98, collaboration and projects for Paul Smith and Valentino.

Website design - bla

New York
Art Institute of New York City / mercedes benz fashion week Spring Summer 2012 in the studio / Fashion's Night Out 2012