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The idea of the artist’s studio, as something more than just a room in which someone paints, is one that has fascinated people down the years. Many books have been penned about the great artists of the past brooding over the next masterpiece on the easel in grand ateliers, surrounded by models, admirers and heaps of half-finished creations.
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The Studio |
Simon’s studio is a place that reflects his own ideas and dreams; he goes there not just to paint but also to think, to read and to find peace. It is a very organized and well-managed place unlike some of the old photographs you see of the early twentieth century masters who seemed to work in a dust covered mess.
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The garden is a constant source of inspiration...
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Housed in an ancient sandstone barn originally built in 1770, the studio has two principle working areas on the ground level; one area is for works on paper, the other for painting on canvas. There are a range of other rooms for etching, where the copper plates are processed, and also storage areas. When the barn was converted into the studio a few years ago, Simon was careful to retain and enhance the spirit of the original building. As a result the main work area is open, with the two upstairs offices divided from the rest of the building by plate glass walls which create a sense of light and openness while retaining a separate working environment of their own.
The studio is built around a courtyard garden that provides year round inspiration with it’s delightful plantings. A flock of white fantail pigeons live in the dovecote on the studio wall. | 
