Respected abstract artist Ed Nash moved to Tennessee from Letchwood Garden City, England with his wife in 2008, settling in the lovely community of Inglewood.
With an education in fine arts, Nash didn’t consider the pursuit as a career, citing making a living as an artist was unrealistic. As a compromise he fulfilled part of that passion as a fine art consultant, selling Post-Impressionist works of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
Today, his sought-after work fills the spaces of his 6,000 square foot Ed Nash Fine Art Studio in Nashville, Tennessee.
Q. How did you make the transition from dealer to painting such an impressive body of work?
“I recognized that people wanted newer, more modern pieces. Initially, I tried to work with different artists which proved to be difficult, so that was when I decided to start painting myself. I began including my art with antique selections, and people instantly chose mine. By 2013 I started selling just my own.
Herb Kelleher’s reference to, “What is safe and what is dangerous.”, resonated with me. I believed that it was really safe to stay doing what I was doing, but one day I woke up and realized that what I was doing was really dangerous, because I hadn't fulfilled what I really wanted to do in life.
I was told time and again that artists can’t be financially successful. One of the goals that I set was to buy a Porsche 911. Two years ago I reached that goal, bought one, then wrapped it with one of my paintings to make a statement to all of the doubters.”
Q. Who were your early inspirations?
“I have a studio on the mountain in Monteagle that oversees a lake. I go up there frequently to paint. I get some inspiration from the green trees and beautiful reflections from the water. It reminds me of work by Monet, one of two of my biggest inspirations, Gerhard Richter being the other.”
Q. When do you know that a piece of work is complete?
“With abstract paintings I'm looking at composition. I ask myself, “Is it evoking the right energy? Does it speak for itself? I’ll set it in the gallery area and live with it for a couple of days to look at it as the viewer, not the artist, and if I feel like it balances on my eye, then it's time to let it out to the world.”
Q. Do you feel a connection to your work?
“The paintings reflect my emotions and who I am. When people come to the studio, they feel the energy, they see the process, where the frames are made, works in progress, the subtleties. At the studio, people have the opportunity to meet the artist.”
Q. What inspires your work?
“I find inspiration everywhere, in nature primarily. I notice cracks in the road, decayed wood, beaten up dumpster, or a bridge. I’m really interested in the aesthetic called Wabi Sabi which is a Japanese philosophy referring to beauty through imperfection, beauty through decay, beauty through the process. Looking at the evolution of time on an object.
There are elements of that in all of us as human-beings. There’s beauty through the process and there’s beauty in the brokenness. And sometimes the struggles that we face in life don’t turn out to be the most beautiful.
I didn’t set out to draw parallels, but in doing that it helps me understand life. I feel like sometimes I understand life a little bit more through art than the other way around.”
Nash has commissioned pieces for entities like Lamborghini, the Conrad Hotel, Barron’s Bank, the Hilton, Netflix, including features in Milieu, Sophisticated Living, East Nashvillian, Nashville Arts, Southern Home, and more.
Ed has made countless charitable donate’s of his work for organizations like Rally on the Runway, End Slavery Tennessee, and for the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital.
Nash reveals that a third book is in the works, with a focus on interiors.
As a growing brand, the artist has just released a beautiful new fashion line of clothing and accessories displaying imprints of his work!
January 12 to 14, Ed’s work will be exhibited at the Antiques and Garden Show of Nashville.
