Monkstown, Co. Cork, Ireland Painting

Simon began exhibiting formally in 1998, having completed a degree in History and History of Art. He has always painted, and has more recently been exploring abstraction. His paintings are characterised by a dynamic use of colour, texture and form. Whilst influenced by Rothko and Pollock, it was the smaller scale landscapes and seascapes of Feiler and de Stael that inspired Simon to move away from representational work and create works that trigger individual interpretation. His work reflects the feelings you have when you see something beautiful. Rather than telling the viewer what they are seeing, he invites you to ask your own questions and find your own answers within his paintings. To create his vibrant, engaging work Simon conjures up different areas of interest within a canvas that encourage your eyes to rove the painting’s landscape with curiosity. For him the experience of interacting with art is relational rather than didactic – how does the viewer interpret and react to it, and can he embody the exhilaration of its creation? Simon’s smaller works are produced in oils on paper, a quick-drying process that allows him to build up layers of colour in a short time and to capture the energy and momentum of the creative act. As well as regular exhibitions, Simon’s work has been bought by private collections.