About me

I'm Simon, a Cornwall-based artist creating pointillistic marine life through a meditative process, illustrated teacups full to the brim with Cornish landmarks, and experimental loose landscapes with vibrant colours. During the day, I work in renewable energy. Evenings and weekends, you'll find me covered in paint, hunched over thousands of tiny dots, completely lost in the creative process, on my bike or enjoying time with my family.

How it started

Over seven years, I've gone from secret sketcher to exhibiting in galleries including St Ives Society of Artists, Old Bakery Studios, Cornwall Museum & Art Gallery and the Southern Nature Art Exhibition.

I've been a musician (occasionaly still am), taken on illustration commissions, started a jewellery business inspired by my love of music using upcycled materials, and collaborated on projects with people I've met along the way.

What keeps me going

I'm driven by the same thing that made me cycle across the UK or represent my country. Once I set my sights on something, I don't stop.

My art connects me to place and nature. Every dot honors the marine life I once swam alongside. Every landscape painting extends the adventures I have cycling Cornwall's quiet lanes. Every teacup illustration celebrates the welcome tea and cake after a good (often blustery) coastal walk!

Like my cycling, art is a release. When work or life is tough it offers a way to be present and intentional, recall fond memories or loosen up when perfectionism takes hold. As neuroscientist Dr. Kelly Lambert notes, "Creative activities activate the same reward pathways in the brain as physical exercise, providing similar mental health benefits."

My background

My earliest creative memories are from primary school painting Godphin House and sculpting a Hammerhead shark out of clay. I've always been drawn to marine life, and got really into sharks! But, like many of us, I convinced myself that "real artists" went to art school. So I tucked my creativity until one day sat in a cafe…..

I was sitting in Truro Arts café waiting for my daughter's art class to finish and I just started sketching Godrevy lighthouse for fun. That single drawing changed everything. I realised I'd been suppressing something essential. For me, creativity isn't a luxury. It's a necessity.

Research backs this up. A 2024 study in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that engaging in creative activities significantly reduces stress and improves overall wellbeing, even for those who don't consider themselves "artistic."

Beyond the canvas

I grew up making action movies with friends using the school's VHS camera, filming around derelict Cornish barns and overgrown scrubland. That sense of adventure and storytelling still drives every piece I create. I then got heavily into music, as most of us do, starting a band, writing music and getting some local success. I still enjoy picking up the guitar and getting lost in a meandering music melody.

I'm a daydreamer who loves exploring and trying new things from skateboarding and snowboarding to cycling, snorkelling and surfing. Experiencing the outside from a new perspective is such an amazing experience. My daughters inspire me daily. When they call me an artist, I still feel a little uneasy, but that's being slowly replaced with pride.

Get in touch!

If my story resonates with you, whether you're a fellow creative in hiding, a nature lover, or someone who believes art makes a difference—I'd love to connect.

Follow my journey on Instagram, drop me an email, or tell me about your own creative adventures. Here's what I've learned: we're all artists waiting to happen.

Browse my marine animals drawings, explore my teacup illustrations, or view my landscape paintings.