fine art connoisseur 2018
May / June 2018

Fine Art Connoisseur
"Betsy Ashton: Portraying Immigrants' Stories"

May, 2018

"Portraits of Immigrants"
Thirteen / WNET-TV news video

Jun 2016

Ashton's portrait in a very prominent spot at the U.S. Embassy in London.

Nov 2014

Unveiling the portrait of Ambassador Lader, at the U.S. Embassy in London. Click image to see photos.

Sep 2014

Photographer Peter Krogh captured this scene in my studio in September, when a PBS video crew led by director Jon Hornbacher, seen here behind the cameraman, followed me around for two days. They were shooting a 60-second spot that will soon air on PBS stations nationwide. I have supported public television actively for many years. As a TV news reporter-turned-artist, I can speak with authority about the high quality of journalism and excellent coverage of the arts that PBS continually delivers. —Betsy Ashton

Mar 2013

Betsy was prominently featured in the March 2013 issue of Sirulian News, published by Sirulians, Inc., an organization of veteran journalists.

2012

In 2012, Betsy Ashton was commissioned to paint the official portrait of Philip Lader, former U.S. Ambassador to the Court of Saint James's, for the collection of the United States Embassy in Grosvenor Square, London.

Nov 10, 2011

Times Ledger, Queens, New York
"A Portraitist Behind the Lens"

Aug 2011

American Artist Studios
"Create a Space That You Won't Want to Leave"

Exhibitions To Date

​I am delighted that my immigrant portraits are now being shown in European exhibits. Three paintings were shown by the Circle Foundation at the Paris Art Fair in the Carousel du Louvre in April, 2026, and four paintings will be on display with ARTAVITA in Art Zurich in May, 2026.  Two of the portraits were in the World Wide Art pavilion at Art Santa Fe, the major art fair in Santa Fe, New Mexico in July, 2025, after being at ARTEXPO in New York City in April. In October, 2024, World Wide Art showed two of the portraits at Art SanDiego, in California.  They were seen by thousands more in the World Wide Art display at the Red Dot Art Fair during Miami, Florida’s huge Art Basel Week. 

The full exhibit of paintings and stories of today’s immigrants has had ten exhibitions. Installed in January, 2025, in the historic Present Day Club in Princeton, New Jersey, it’s been a hit in Princeton after being in Trinity Episcopal Church for the first half of 2024, and Nassau Presbyterian Church next to the Princeton University campus, in the fall of 2024.

​Updated April 21, 2026  

  • ​Stonebridge at Montgomery, Skillman, NJ, installed October 5, 2023, and ran through November.
  • Meadow Lakes, East Windsor, NJ: The exhibition opened May 26th and was extended through mid-September
  • Samanea NY Center, Woodbury, Long Island, NY: The exhibition was open from March through mid-May and continually drew crowds 
  • OSilas Gallery, Concordia College, Bronxville, NY: The exhibition was open through May 8th. Masks and social distancing were required.  

​That’s me, on February 14, 2020 — opening night at the Green Door Gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn — welcoming Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, and Fr. Thomas Vassalotti, Pastor of Divine Mercy Parish to the reception. Bishop DiMarzio has for many years led efforts to welcome and help settle immigrants and refugees. He urged me to bring ‘Portraits of Immigrants’ to Brooklyn, to honor all those who live and work there. The show closed March 8, less than a week before the Coronavirus shut down the city.

“Brought tears to my eyes. What an incredible story and show!”

“Uplifting and enlightening. I will spread the word far and wide.”    

​”A stunning and eye opening exhibit. Thank you for a beautiful experience.”

We hit room capacity at the opening. I spoke there about why I’d spent two years finding and interviewing immigrants and refugees, then painting their portraits, and writing their stories.

​”Thank you for showing another side!  Your collection and stories are beautiful and inspiring!”
 Laura Fernandez

“Thank you for sharing the American Dream and showing that it comes in all shapes, sizes and colors.” 
– Raymond

“What a beautiful thing you have done! Thank you for bringing these stories alive,”
– The Rev. Canon Carl F. Turner, Rector, Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue

“You are doing God’s work.”
– Susan Ridgeway, Executive Director, The Church Club of New York