Simon Houlton
I eschew formal technique in the pursuit of a more direct expression
It’s a challenge to write an artist’s CV, in fact it’s a challenge to write any kind of CV as I have bounced around between so many jobs in my life in so many different sectors. I painted and drew obsessively as a child. It was my art teacher's hope that I would attend the Royal Academy of arts in London. As it happens I never applied, but I continued to paint until around the age of 24, at which point life struggles led to me taking a twenty year hiatus. It is only these last five years or so that this obsession has returned, but now more focused and more intense with a lifetime of experiences to express.
Certainly I haven’t had any formal artistic training or spent years at art school training to mimic the styles of the great masters, in fact that concept is the opposite of what inspires me. I did drop out of art school a few times in the 90’s, partly due to not wanting to take the arduous walk to the art college along the seafront in the winter rain, partly due to costs, and partly due to an inability to fit in. Even in a room full of aspiring artists I was still an outsider. Still a pariah.
I am autodidactic, not just in terms of painting but in terms of my approach to life, I am a person who wants to make my own mistakes, and carve my own way through life. To some degree my approach is informed by the 70’s punk do it yourself ethos, in as much as anyone can pick up an instrument and make a sound, anyone can pick up a brush and make a mark.
I eschew formal technique in the pursuit of a more direct expression, the use of bold black lines that was discouraged by my secondary school art teacher, splashes, smears, happy accidents, and a stressed scratchy look that is often a part of my finished work.
I paint some repeated themes, lots of faces, fish, and skeletons among other things. The faces are often deeply introspective, many of the portraits are technically self portraits as they are about capturing feelings and moments that I am either experiencing at the moment of painting or have experienced before. The vast majority of my paintings are spontaneous in execution, but often with long periods of silent thought beforehand, on other occasions I can begin painting without any clear concept of where I am intending to go with it and just let the brush take me. I want to capture the parts that humans keep hidden, the self doubt, the darkness and despair, the isolation, the degradation that is inflicted by society on the individual. The darker feelings that humans experience that in many ways are almost a ubiquitous part of the human experience, but at the same time loaded down with stigma. I want to show this in a way that is relatable to the viewer. I want the viewer to pause and feel something when they look at one of my pictures, I would rather that the viewer experienced one of my portraits as thought provoking, disturbing and dark then pretty or technical.
Discover contemporary artworks by Simon Houlton, browse recent artworks and buy online. Categories: contemporary turkish artists (born 1975). Artistic domains: Painting. Account type: Artist , member since 2020 (Country of origin United Kingdom). Buy Simon Houlton's latest works on Artmajeur: Discover great art by contemporary artist Simon Houlton. Browse artworks, buy original art or high end prints.
Artist Value, Biography, Artist's studio:
Exclusive selection at discounted prices • 12 artworks
View allAnxiety Exhibition • 18 artworks
View all
A collection of paintings in which I explore psychological disturbances both within my own psyche and[...]
A collection of paintings in which I explore psychological disturbances both within my own psyche and humanity in general. All paintings feature faces, sometimes deconstructed to the point of becoming abstract, and heavy black lines which you can read as a form of stress.
"Windows to the Soul"
Oil on Canvas | 27.6x19.7 in
Not For Sale
Prints
from $26.82
"Disintegration (remix)"
Oil on Canvas | 39.4x24 in
Not For Sale
Prints
from $26.82
"Stupid Game"
Acrylic on Canvas | 39.4x27.6 in
Not For Sale
Prints
from $26.82
"Escape Artist"
Acrylic on Canvas | 27.6x15.8 in
Not For Sale
Prints
from $26.82
"The New Crime"
Acrylic on Canvas | 31.5x19.7 in
Not For Sale
Prints
from $26.82
"Paint Nothing (the crisis at the door)"
Acrylic on Canvas | 27.6x19.7 in
Not For Sale
Prints
from $26.82
"Disintegration"
Oil on Canvas | 39.4x24 in
Not For Sale
Prints
from $26.82
"Separation Anxiety"
Oil on Canvas | 39.4x27.6 in
Not For Sale
Prints
from $26.82
"Arkana Bakma"
Oil on Canvas | 27.6x19.7 in
Not For Sale
Prints
from $26.82
"Cottonmouth"
Acrylic on Canvas | 31.5x23.6 in
Not For Sale
Prints
from $26.82
Weird Fishes • 13 artworks
View all
This gallery features paintings of fish an other sea creatures in acrylic and oil. My hometown is a[...]
This gallery features paintings of fish an other sea creatures in acrylic and oil. My hometown is a small fishing town called Hastings, in the south east of England. I grew up surrounded by fish, fishing, and fisherman. As a result these sea creatures still fascinate me. I can't walk past a fish market without stopping to look at the fish, they look weird and other worldly to me, and I enjoy painting them.
"School (Weird Fishes)"
Acrylic on Canvas | 19.5x27.6 in
Sold
Prints
from $26.82
Latest Artworks • 26 artworks
View all
"Turkey Earthquake 06 02 2023"
Acrylic on Canvas | 31.5x27.6 in
Not For Sale
Prints
from $26.82
"Women Life Freedom"
Acrylic on Canvas | 31.9x24 in
Not For Sale
Prints
from $26.82
"Mr Sparrow"
Acrylic on Canvas | 35.4x23.6 in
Not For Sale
Prints
from $26.82
"The Galaxy Goblin"
Acrylic on Canvas | 28x19.7 in
Not For Sale
Prints
from $26.82
Sold Artworks • 5 artworks
"Scrambl-ed"
Acrylic on Canvas | 35.8x24 in
Sold
Prints
from $26.82
"School (Weird Fishes)"
Acrylic on Canvas | 19.5x27.6 in
Sold
Prints
from $26.82
"Renkli Adam"
Acrylic on Canvas | 31.3x23.6 in
Sold
Prints
from $26.82
"Pariah (weird fishes)"
Acrylic on Canvas | 19.5x27.6 in
Sold
Prints
from $26.82
Recognition
Editor's Pick
The artist's works have been noticed by the editorial staff
The artist's works have been noticed by the editorial staff
Biography
It’s a challenge to write an artist’s CV, in fact it’s a challenge to write any kind of CV as I have bounced around between so many jobs in my life in so many different sectors. I painted and drew obsessively as a child. It was my art teacher's hope that I would attend the Royal Academy of arts in London. As it happens I never applied, but I continued to paint until around the age of 24, at which point life struggles led to me taking a twenty year hiatus. It is only these last five years or so that this obsession has returned, but now more focused and more intense with a lifetime of experiences to express.
Certainly I haven’t had any formal artistic training or spent years at art school training to mimic the styles of the great masters, in fact that concept is the opposite of what inspires me. I did drop out of art school a few times in the 90’s, partly due to not wanting to take the arduous walk to the art college along the seafront in the winter rain, partly due to costs, and partly due to an inability to fit in. Even in a room full of aspiring artists I was still an outsider. Still a pariah.
I am autodidactic, not just in terms of painting but in terms of my approach to life, I am a person who wants to make my own mistakes, and carve my own way through life. To some degree my approach is informed by the 70’s punk do it yourself ethos, in as much as anyone can pick up an instrument and make a sound, anyone can pick up a brush and make a mark.
I eschew formal technique in the pursuit of a more direct expression, the use of bold black lines that was discouraged by my secondary school art teacher, splashes, smears, happy accidents, and a stressed scratchy look that is often a part of my finished work.
I paint some repeated themes, lots of faces, fish, and skeletons among other things. The faces are often deeply introspective, many of the portraits are technically self portraits as they are about capturing feelings and moments that I am either experiencing at the moment of painting or have experienced before. The vast majority of my paintings are spontaneous in execution, but often with long periods of silent thought beforehand, on other occasions I can begin painting without any clear concept of where I am intending to go with it and just let the brush take me. I want to capture the parts that humans keep hidden, the self doubt, the darkness and despair, the isolation, the degradation that is inflicted by society on the individual. The darker feelings that humans experience that in many ways are almost a ubiquitous part of the human experience, but at the same time loaded down with stigma. I want to show this in a way that is relatable to the viewer. I want the viewer to pause and feel something when they look at one of my pictures, I would rather that the viewer experienced one of my portraits as thought provoking, disturbing and dark then pretty or technical.
-
Nationality:
UNITED KINGDOM
- Date of birth : 1975
- Artistic domains:
- Groups: Contemporary British Artists

Influences
Education
2005 - 2006
CERTesol
Hastings,
East Sussex,
United Kingdom
Artist value certified
No data available yet
Achievements
No data available yet
Activity on Artmajeur
Last modification date : May 27, 2023
(Member since 2020)
Image views: 49,784
Artworks by Simon Houlton added to favorite collections: 130
Latest News
All the latest news from contemporary artist Simon Houlton
Added Jan 29, 2023
Windows / Pencereler
Hoşnudiye, İsmet İnönü-1 Blv 109A, 26130 Tepebaşı/Eskişehir, Türkiye
Tuesday
24
January
2023
Tuesday
14
February
2023
My solo exhibition at Musuem is up and running until the 14th of February 2023, featuring 25 selected pieces.
Reviews and comments

©2021 Simon Houlton

©2020 Simon Houlton
Contact Simon Houlton
Send a private message to Simon Houlton
Send a message