The Water is Calling - Ashton Shaw Despot

Ashton Shaw Despot

The Claire Elizabeth Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition for Ashton Shaw Despot. “The Water is Calling” includes a collection of Contemporary Impressionist paintings inspired by the artist’s memories of early mornings spent out on the water. Despot is a New Orleans based artist who received an BFA from Louisiana State University. The exhibition will be on view from July 3rd - August 18, 2025 with an opening reception on Saturday, Aug. 9th from 5-8pm.

In the artist’s own words:

This collection is a visual ode to the Louisiana summer—where heat and humidity settle into the air, and the water offers a quiet, essential refuge. Inspired by early mornings on the water, these paintings reflect the moments when the surface is still as glass, mirroring trees, sky, and light in gentle symmetry. Time seems to pause there, held delicately between movement and stillness, light and reflection.

Through layered brushwork, softened edges, and a palette of dense greens and cool blues, I’ve tried to capture not just the landscape, but the feeling of it: the sensation of drifting through winding waterways, the relief of jumping into warm, welcoming water, and the rhythmic hum of nature all around. These are painted memories of sun-drenched skin, the wind stirred by a passing boat, and the calming repetition of quiet days in motion.

This body of work is rooted in both place and emotion. It honors the balance of heat and healing, presence and reflection. But more than that, it’s about listening to summer’s quiet call the invitation to slow down, to step into the moment, to let go. Each painting is a gentle reminder to embrace the present, to seize the golden pauses that life offers, and to carry their warmth with you long after the season has passed.

For questions about Despot’s work or the exhibition, please, email us.