Raja Ashraf
Abstract and figurative works
California

I have been creating art since I was a 5 year old in Pakistan and eventually minored in studio art when I attended college just outside of Boston. I was fortunate enough to show a collection of work that I sold before moving to California in 2006. I have learned more about myself through the questions buyers forced me to answer! Who is this woman? Why these colors? What does it mean? (Probably the toughest to answer)How do you paint? I have finally come up with some answers through my creation of my second collection.

The women in the paintings represent the many beautiful South Asian women in my life. My mother, my sisters, my niece, my friends. Wonderful strong women, who dedicate their lives to others. I was fortunate enough to have a Professor who taught me to love paint- to love shades, hue, luminosity, color. He taught me that the way paint is applied on a canvas is just as important as the image being created. I pick colors based on my mood and will often spend days mixing colors and smearing it on a white canvas. What does it mean? Each painting means something different- I am more interested in what it means to the viewer. And finally how do I paint? With my hands! I rarely use a brush but am quite partial to dripping my hand with paint and luxuriously rubbing it on a white canvas.

I welcome more questions though. I hope you enjoy my artwork.

 

Raja Ashraf.