ASH-RON Jermakian

Spontaneously attracted to a therapeutic-aesthetic blend of abstract expressionism, existential philosophy and progressive jazz - along with protest folk and rock music - I dropped out of UMass-Amherst circa 1968, studied art books at the Springfield Library and produced a number of paintings, drawings and mixed-media creations mostly done in the basement of my parent's house. Several of them were bought by relatives and friends of the family. Eventually I became a "hippie artist" in Coconut Grove, Florida, focusing on murals and black-light interactive materials. My artistic career was dormant from 1974 till circa 1996 while I was a full-time monk with the Krishna consciousness movement.

 In 1999 I submitted slides of some of my artwork to United Arts of Central Florida and received an Artist's Recognition Award. I was also featured in their "O Arts" magazine (Dec.-Jan., 2000-01) after winning "Best of Show" in a city sponsored event and was active in the Orlando Visual Artists League (OVAL). During that period, I also worked as a "backround character actor" in numerous film and TV productions in central Florida and got some community theater experience with the Titusville Players.  After art agent Per Sone Stenkula - dba "Swede Success" - saw my work at a City Hall group exhibit, he represented me on Sotheby's online auctions for emerging artists, selling several of my paintings to U.S. and international collectors ... In 2000, when there was a slow-down in both the art scene and film production in central Florida, I decided to try teaching EFL in South Korea, which I did for the next nine years. While in South Korea I joined the "Seoul International Visual Artists" and produced considerable artwork - including collaborations with young Korean students and use of traditional Korean art materials ...

Upon return to the U.S. in 2010, I moved back to my parent's home to help my mother after my father passed away, and I got a M.Ed from UMass focusing on ESL and multicultural studies. Now I'm focusing on revival of my revival of art career aspirations with help from my nieces.