About Asha

AshaAung Helmstetter is an oil and mixed media painter who was born and brought up in Seattle’s Central District, where she is still based today. At seventeen years old, Asha realized that she would dedicate very much of her life to art, and has spent the years since actualizing that reality for herself. Having left school early to manage chronic health issues while focusing on her personal and artistic development, Asha has very little formal training. In 2021, she received SOIL Gallery’s Young Artist Residency, and she is currently part of Wa Na Wari’s 2021-2022 Artist in Residence cycle. Asha has also been featured on the cover of Real Change News and was recipient of the 2021 Foundry10 Young Artist Grant.

While she has many mentors, and takes inspiration from art that exists everywhere, her style shows the independent exploration that comes with somewhat isolated learning. Her paintings reflect her imagination, and perseverance: two things that are difficult to miss when encountering her person, or any of her creations.