After the Fires (2021) Drawing by Geraldine Simmons

I live and work from my home studio at Collaroy in Australia on the northern beaches of Sydney. For the first eight years of my life I lived in London, England and then settled in Australia in 1968. As a child of parents who worked in the performing arts, this environment led to spending many weeks and months away from home in boarding school, yet the two activities that made me feel more at home and made my heart sing was drawing and riding my bike. 

Time spent alone riding my bike inspired my love of nature and deep appreciation for all living things. At any opportunity and with wonder, I would study things that caught my eye, such as the unique patterns and texture of a tree trunk, the way the light shone through the leaves, or the soft, velvety feel of a flower petal. These experiences helped enhance and develop my observational skills as well as the patience required to create detailed works of art.

Over time, my love of drawing has evolved into the detailed, soulful wildlife portraits that I draw today in either pastel and coloured pencil, or scratchboard. These mediums enable me to capture the textures and emotional expressions that bring each animal to life.

During my travels in 2005 with Friends of the National Parks Foundation in the deep jungles of Borneo, the eyes of the orangutans and exquisite beauty of native Indonesian wildlife captivated me.  This experience was the catalyst for raising funds and awareness for endangered wildlife.

I have exhibited both nationally and internationally receiving many invitations to donate my works to significant animal conservation groups and campaigns such as Humane Society International, Art4Apes ENDANGERED Fine Art and Photography exhibition, Sketch for Survival in conjunction with Explorers Against Extinction, Sea Shepherd and Borneo Orangutan Society.

No matter which species I draw, it feels natural to me to portray sensitivity as a common denominator. It is something that animals do not hide and inspires us to re-connect

• Nationality: AUSTRALIA
• Date of birth : 1959
• Artistic domains:
• Groups: Contemporary Australian Artists