Simon Hodges VPPS

Statement

My primary inspiration comes from the landscape but with an architectural background, buildings and townscapes feature strongly in my work. I am self taught as an artist referring back to greats such as Turner, Seago and Melville to inspire a constant rethinking although in essence my approach to painting is no more complicated than working hard to capture a sense of place and time, quality of light, variations in weather, changes of season and to portray this in two dimensions considering composition, drawing, narrative, tone and colour.

Methodology

Whilst my work always begins in front of the subject by sketching in a variety of mediums, most of my finished work is done in my studio, often using compositional drawings or paintings before commencing the finished piece. Besides pastel, I work in charcoal, watercolour, acrylic and oil; at times I use a combination of these mediums.

Bio

I was born in 1958 in Surrey; I am married and have lived in Larkhall in Bath since 1985. Whilst I have painted since I was a child, I was encouraged to go to university and so studied architecture.

1977-81 Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff

B.Sc Architectural Science 1st Class Honours

B.Arch (Wales) Distinction

1992-1993 West of England University, Bristol

M.Sc Construction Management

1979-80 Architectural Practice in Wimbledon.

1981-82 Architectural Practice in Victoria, London. Work on hotels and private houses

1984 Membership of Architects Registration Council of The United Kingdom

1985 Membership of The Royal Institute of British Architects

1983-1991 Bath & Frome Architectural Practice (Associate & Partner) Clients included Marlborough College and University of Bath.

1993-1996 Yeovil, Oxford & London Architectural Practice (Associate)

1996-1999 Private Architectural Practice (Bath)

2000 onwards- Invited artist at Le Corre Gallery, Bradford on Avon

2010 Invited artist at Bath Gallery, Bath

2010/11 Invited artist at LeFort Gallery, Bath

2011-2016 Overall coordinator of Larkhall Open Studio Art Trail

2014 onwards- Invited artist at Castle Fine Art, Bath

2015 onwards- Invited artist at Widbrookgrange Hotel, Bradford on Avon

2017 Membership of The Pastel Society