Simon`s 2023 artistic almanac

​As the year draws to a close I wanted to share with you my year in art. And to wish you all the compliments of the season, to thank you for your interest and patronage, and best wishes for a happy and healthy 2024.

Brush & Lens - November 2022 show

Tokyo Tower - oil on canvas - sold

2022 ended with a very successful show with talented photographer-collaborator friend Laura Mackinnon. A near sell-out!
2023 was an unusual one: for reasons outside of my control (waiting lists on the dear old NHS!) the greater majority of it was spent back in the UK. Happily I have art supplies in both countries so was able to keep painting. And although I had no significant exhibitions your commissions kept me busy.
Back in February a trip to see my brother in deepest rural France found me wandering to the top meadow on a cold bright morning. Just me and the stately Salers cattle. And the Bull. A scene that asked to be painted! This artwork appeared in the Liverpool Art fair liverpoolartfair.com/ in July/August.

`The Bull`

Back in the UK I painted a small triptych based on a some old 35mm slides that brought back happy memories of family holidays in the Mediterranean.

`Campari`

`Bomboloni`

`Oat Crunchies`

A short trip back to Tokyo in the Spring allowed me to complete a cityscape commission for a client`s leaving present. Cityscapes are my first love and have been amongst my most successful and sought after work. This one shows Fuji-san at sunset with lights going on over the city - including the apartment building in which my client lived. I am always open to cityscape commissions....

`Sayonara Tokyo`

Over the summer, Royal Liverpool Golf Club - site of this year`s Open Championship - commissioned me to paint the prizes for the prestigious 0pen Scratch Mixed Foursomes tournament. The eighth year of asking...

`Hilbre`

2023 OSMF winners

`Little Eye`

As you will know by now golf is a particular passion and I am never happier when combining my love for golf with my love for painting. So I was delighted to complete this commission for a client in the US to commemorate their first wedding anniversary. With help from the client and her excellent source photographs I was able to use some artistic licence to include not only the main man but his father, brother and even their hound!

`Straight and true`

As the year draws to a close I am about to start on two important new golf commissions, this time based on the home of golf - St Andrews. This will be the first time I have painted the grand old links and it is going to be an enjoyable challenge. If any of you golfers are interested commissioning a painting of your favourite course...hole...player...or combination thereof (!) do get in touch. 

Back in Tokyo for the final three months of the year saw an unusual couple of projects: firstly, a painting of a client`s house. Not something I have done before but said client and wife were very happy with the result!

`Chez Nous`

Secondly, a vast new cityscape, this time of Edinburgh. Old friends having just moved out of their flat in Edinburgh wanted a memory of their many happy years there - preferably to include the street where they used to live as well as the highlights of that great city. It was a challenge to find a source image that would allow the correct perspective but we finally found something that did the trick. Apart from being a very large artwork to adorn the walls of their dining room the request was for something in a lively colour. I had the idea of using the colours of their family tartan as they were suitably bright!

Drumsheugh Gardens leading up to the Castle, Edinburgh (source image)

Cameron of Eracht tartan - orange, green, lilac, yellow...

`Farewell to Drumsheugh`

This is the time of year for charity fundraising events and I am happy to donate artwork as gifts or raffle prizes. Here are a selection of the works that I donated this time round.

`Enkakuji iced matcha` BCCJ Golf Day

`Takashimaya Times Square` ACCJ Charity Ball

`Happo-en Koi - Autumn reflections` Brits @ lunch Xmas Special - Mirai no Mori and Breast Cancer charities

Next year we return to the UK after over 26 years in this amazing country. In an effort to prune my collection of unsold works (aka orphans, waifs and strays) and in response to a request from the Tokyo American Club I have let them have several large works on consignment. They are currently hanging on the 4th floor outside the residences. All are for sale so if you are interested in viewing please make yourself known to the TAC staff at B1 reception.