Bio

Steve Ashe: Biography and Art

Steven Morris Ashe (May 28, 1950 - June 25, 2002)

Boulder area artist, astronomer and software engineer Dr. Steven Ashe died in his home in June of 2002 from pancreatic cancer. Steve was a multi faceted individual who received his B.S. in physics and music from Bennington College in 1972, his combined M.Phil. and Ph.D. from Yale University in 1978, and completed his postdoctorates at Harvard University and NCAR.

Before his illness, Steve was a software engineer working in Colorado and California. He helped to open the Boulder technical office of QMS/MQI in 1992 and managed it until the end of 2001 when he became unable to work. Steve was VicePresident of Engineering, Manager of the Boulder Core Technology Group and Corporate Scientist.

Steve was a member of the American Association of Variable Star Observers from the age of sixteen. He was also a member of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Astronomer David Levy, a boyhood friend of Steve's from summer camp, wrote an article in the June 2002 issue of "Sky and Telescope Magazine" featuring Steve and his homemade merry-go-round telescope.

In addition to enjoying amateur astronomy, Steve was a musician who played guitar, lute, and harp in both classical and modern styles. He was particularly interested and skilled in Renaissance music.

Steve also enjoyed building electronics for telescopes and for speaker systems. His last big project was constructing Linkwitz Phoenix speakers, including creating the speaker cabinets with their custom finishes.

Above all, Steve was an artist. When he became ill, he devoted his remaining months to painting.

This website honors Steve by presenting his paintings and making available prints of these paintings for purchase. Proceeds from prints sold by this website will be donated to four of Steve's favorite non profit organizations:

Astronomical Society of the Pacific
International Dark Sky Association
The Nature Conservancy
World Wildlife Fund.