My early years were spent
at Treyarnon Bay in North Cornwall, UK. This exposure
to the Atlantic coast coupled with
a family interest in art (my grandfather John Simmons
1871-1943 was an accomplished painter) led to an inevitable
fascination with drawing and painting.
I studied Art
and Art History at A level and then went on to read
Fine Art at The University of Reading, Berkshire
1992-1996.
At Reading I was exposed to every extreme of
the contemporary art spectrum by tutors from all disciplines
of Fine Art,
notably Richard Wilson, Terry Pope, Bill Culbert, Anya
Gallacio, Sam Taylor-Wood, Ceal Floyer, Stephen Buckley,
Roger Cook and Peter Kalkhoff. Having arrived at Reading
as a 'Painter' my creative practice developed to embrace
all media with sculpture and installation quickly becoming
equally rewarding ways to express my ideas. I became
fascinated by the work of Donald Judd and David Mach
among many, and a minimalist aesthetic gripped my work,
tempered by my love of irony. For a period I split my
studio time between making objects and painting imagined
objects.
After University I returned to Cornwall where I draw an abundance of inspiration from my surroundings fueled by
the ever strengthening community of artists here. The Cornish land and seascapes are central to my life and at the heart of the
work that I produce.
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