Simon writes:
I was born and raised in England and trained at the City & Guilds of London art school where I gained my diploma in fine art. I emigrated to the USA and became a US citizen. I now live and work in Auburn in northern California.
The focus of my work is both landscape painting and still life painting. The ability to work from life is what inspires me, whether I am outside painting a landscape or in the studio painting a still life. I am known for my expressive style, and my diverse works and special commissions can be found in numerous European and American collections.
In 2015, I was included in an exhibition of California Impressionism, Past and Present at the Huntington Beach Art Center. In 2016, I participated in the northern California Impressionism Exhibition group show at the Peninsula Museum of Art.
I had the good fortune to grow up in a house full of art. Both my parents were artists. My father, John Addyman, was a well known watercolorist, and he often took me with him to paint landscapes in the English countryside. My mother Madeline was also a painter and a successful printmaker. In my 20s I worked for a picture frame company in Suffolk, where we used traditional techniques to make classical gilded frames. This led to a woodcarving and gilding course at City & Guilds art school; however, I quickly realized that my true passion lay with painting, and I changed course and received my diploma in fine art.
After art school, I experimented with different forms of commercial art, mostly producing, murals, custom art commissions for interior designers, and scenic art in Hollywood. I have since returned to my painting roots, and today my passion is plein air painting. I often use sketches painted outdoors to produce larger studio works.
I continue to be inspired by the beauty of the natural world and staying connected with nature has always been very important to me. I am an active member of the California Art Club, and this not only keeps me painting with fellow artists, it keeps me learning from my biggest inspiration, nature.
Learn more about Simon on his website.