Born in 1957, Malcolm studied graphic design and illustration at the Somerset College of Art, though as an oil painter he is largely self taught. As a genuine man of the countryside he translates a lifetime passion for the landscapes of the South West and Wales into hauntingly poetic images. Uncomplicated alignments of colour and structure deftly tuned to portray the nuances of seasonal light create different metaphors for the observer to consider, time and time again as a new aspect reveals itself at each glance of the painting.Ashman had already established himself as an exemplary water colourist, when a decade ago he commenced his love affair with oil. He revels in the luminosity of oil and the opportunity it provides to change the look and feel of an image for a day or more. Working on board and canvas, he prefers the rigidity of board as it enables him to ‘scrape' into the landscape the clefts and hedgerows he knows so well. He is truly in his element when working in oil, conveying both his passion for painting and the countryside. The passion is demonstrated by his relentless pursuit of the best quality paint, paints that provide him with an extended palette of immensely subtle yet deep shades reflective of the endless cornucopia of colours pervasive to the imagery he is seeking to capture.Malcolm says, ‘the effects of light and weather on landscape fascinate me. I am not a great traveller and find beauty in that which lies on my doorstep. Painting has been, and I hope will always be, the great passion of my life.'

Malcolm has been the recipient of many awards and has had numerous solo exhibitions, as well as group exhibitions, and has exhibited at the Royal Academy. His work is in several permanent collections including the Wessex Collection, Longleat House, the Victoria Gallery, Bath and the Royal Bank of Scotland.