Simon Wilcox
Originally from the chalk downlands of the Berkshire/Oxfordshire border, Simon Wilcox now lives in Howden with his wife Catherine, his two boys and two dogs.
Like many artists Simon is drawn to the sweep of big skies, the shore, storms, hills and mountains - the places that make us feel insignificant in the eye of nature. But in his heart, the landscape is made from the unnoticed details, the commonplace, the ordinary and the overlooked. The forms, colours and intricate structures of the tangle of hedgerow, copse or dyke edge have a deep and almost obsessional lure. And Simon admits to having a particular and quite peculiar “thing” for trees without leaves. Trying to capture (and share) some of his unfashionable views of the world is his tiny rebellion.
Simon’s work could be considered deceptive - it may look at first glance to be 'photographic' in its detail and composition. The composition may be a little stark, the colours muted and the image static and without movement. This construction is completely intentional. He is “an old-fashioned draughtsman of sorts”.
Simon’s landscapes and the trees are all real, places he knows intimately, places that people pass and often never notice. They are stripped of all unnecessary details and distractions … essentially they are his interpretation of their essence. The 'stillness' is used to allow the watcher to study them intensely or simply just appreciate the view without focusing on the details.
Simon paints winter trees and landscapes because they show the underlying structure of the world around us, the complexity and beauty in the raw, a face without make-up or artifice. He is also drawn to the jeopardy of working on a white board with indelible inks and traditional dip pens as it requires precision and has little room for mistakes or correction. With some work requiring days of effort, a single error or lapse in concentration can destroy the piece in seconds.
Like many artists Simon is drawn to the sweep of big skies, the shore, storms, hills and mountains - the places that make us feel insignificant in the eye of nature. But in his heart, the landscape is made from the unnoticed details, the commonplace, the ordinary and the overlooked. The forms, colours and intricate structures of the tangle of hedgerow, copse or dyke edge have a deep and almost obsessional lure. And Simon admits to having a particular and quite peculiar “thing” for trees without leaves. Trying to capture (and share) some of his unfashionable views of the world is his tiny rebellion.
Simon’s work could be considered deceptive - it may look at first glance to be 'photographic' in its detail and composition. The composition may be a little stark, the colours muted and the image static and without movement. This construction is completely intentional. He is “an old-fashioned draughtsman of sorts”.
Simon’s landscapes and the trees are all real, places he knows intimately, places that people pass and often never notice. They are stripped of all unnecessary details and distractions … essentially they are his interpretation of their essence. The 'stillness' is used to allow the watcher to study them intensely or simply just appreciate the view without focusing on the details.
Simon paints winter trees and landscapes because they show the underlying structure of the world around us, the complexity and beauty in the raw, a face without make-up or artifice. He is also drawn to the jeopardy of working on a white board with indelible inks and traditional dip pens as it requires precision and has little room for mistakes or correction. With some work requiring days of effort, a single error or lapse in concentration can destroy the piece in seconds.
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