After seeing a Peter LANYON exhibition in Manchester in 1978, Ashley Hanson decided to become a painter. However he studied architecture initially, and went on to obtain a degree in Fine Art at Canterbury College of Art. In 1991 he was a Hunting Art Prize winner. An important influence on his work has been the USA, where he has spent a great deal of time, studying and taking part in workshops. In 1997 he was awarded a Boise Travel Scholarship from the Slade, which enabled him to extend his travels within the USA to include two months painting in upstate New York.

In 2005 Ashley moved to Cornwall.  He has been awarded a number of solo shows within the UK, and has exhibited widely in group shows here and abroad. A recent series of his paintings is themed on the connection between the coastal imagery of Cornwall and New England.  His vibrant canvases have been described as 'a harmony of opposites'.

Since 2007 he has been a visiting lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University.  Alongside his painting practice, Ashley runs painting workshops for schools and colleges.