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
Presented by Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery
Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery
(Art gallery, United States)
Sentient Beings
Opening night. Sentient Beings - A Close-up Look into the World of Animals Through Portraiture
DiversARTy Gallery, South Creek Road, Cromer NSW, Australia
As we travel through these challenging and changing times, this is one exhibition not to be missed.
A short 3-minute movie will be shown at 7 pm, followed by an 8-minute live art demo to music. More information is in the attached flyer.
https//www.diversartygallery.com.au
Work in Progress of a baby orang-utan
Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery is pleased to announce that its June 2021 art exhibition, the 11th Annual “Animals” Online Art Exhibition is now posted on its website and can be viewed online. The theme for this art exhibition is “animal” art. 2D and 3D artists (including photographers and digital artists) were asked to submit their best representational and/or abstract art for this exhibition. An international online art competitionwas held in May2021. The gallery received and judged 895entries from 29different countries and from 35different statesand the District of Columbia. The gallery presented the top 20artists in each media category with awards. The gallery also selected artists for Special Merit and Special Recognition awards.
https://www.lightspacetime.art/animals-2021-art-exhibition-special-merit-painting-other-media/
A work in progress in scratchboard of a Lemur
Australian Artist Magazine “Scratch Me Happy! – Using scratchboard to create realistic and expressive animal portraits” -
Geraldine demonstrates and describes the art of scratchboard to create realistic and expressive animal portraits in a 10 page featured article in the January, 2017 issue.
SOLO ART SERIES ART EXHIBITION 2016 - GERALDINE SIMMONS
A GIANT humpback whale, a snow leopard, an orangutan – these beautifully crafted images are designed to make you think.
Dino Halcrow and Geraldine Simmons want to wake people up to the urgency of protecting wildlife.
Artists Dino Halcrow and Geraldine Simmons use different media but have come together for an exhibition about their love and concern for animals and the environment.
Called Looking At The Bigger Picture, the exhibition, at Painters Gallery, Manly, shows marine life and mammals on canvas and scratchboard.
Ms Simmons, of Collaroy, said impacts on animal habitat would eventually reach humans and greater understanding was needed.
“Our vision is for people to see wildlife in another light. They are not just creatures beneath us,” she said. “What we’re trying to convey is wildlife are sentient beings, just like us.”
The exhibit contains facts and notes on the artists’ experiences with the animals.
Mr Halcrow, of Ingleside, said: “It takes awareness for us to become custodians of the planet we call home.
“Most people say, ‘We enjoyed the show and left with a small seed of thought’. It’s making people think about their actions and responsibilities.”
He has long been fascinated by the ocean and has used his art to promote environmental responsibility.
Ms Simmons has also used her art to promote better understanding of endangered wildlife since she met orang-utans in Borneo in 2005.
The two have displayed their works together at the suggestion of the gallery owner.
The exhibition runs until Friday.
The Gallery moved from Mona Vale to Manly last year. Picture credit: BRADEN FASTIER
Looking at the Bigger Picture - Featured video from November 2015 joint Art Exhibition with Dino Halcrow, Painters Gallery, Manly, NSW, Australia
LINUS GALLERIES 2015 REALISM ART SHOW
Geraldine Simmons is the winner of the 4th Annual Nature Exhibition - Light, Space and Time Online Gallery
Richerson75 International Animals, Birds and Wildlife 2014
Wildlife Rescue Magazine is a leading Australian wildlife rescue magazine with over 60,000 readers. Geraldine's main article is in Isuue 6, page 24, 2013. The artist donated a limited edition signed and numbered giclee print of Tree Top to assist Wildlife Rescue Magazine encourage more subscribers in order to increace awareness of wildlife rescue efforts Australia wide.
https://www.therickiereport.com/2020/12/22/view-current-endangered-fine-art-and-photography-exhibit-through-december-31-meet-artist-in-resident-geraldine-simmons-applications-for-2021-exhibit-are-now-open/
