About Me
Artist statement
Simon Hart completed an MA in Printed Textiles at the Royal College of Art in London in 1993. It was while he was there that he developed the Collage style that he is has become so well known for and makes his work so instantly recognisable.
After graduating from the Royal College of Art he focused on contemporary landscape pieces and quickly gained success as an artist exhibiting in many galleries throughout the UK, but it was his seascapes of Cornish and Devon harbours that became particularly popular with collectors. Many of his images have been produced as prints, greetings cards and limited editions by leading art publishers and retailers worldwide. Simon has certainly followed a variety of creative journeys during his career, always looking for new subject matter to challenge him and constantly crossing over between different disciplines of art and design. After moving to Dartmouth in 2000 he set up and established a Contemporary Art Gallery ‘Hartworks’ with his wife Theresa not only exhibiting his own artwork but promoting the work of many leading South West artists. After 8 years they sold the gallery business and both chose instead to focus on design and illustration and follow a more commercial path. Forming a publishing company producing ranges of stationery, textiles and ceramics Simon focused on imagery inspired by his love of wildlife and nature and also created children’s images inspired by vintage tin toys and 1950’s design . The business then evolved into an online personalised gift business with much bolder, graphical designs being applied to an extensive range of interior items .
It was in early 2024 that he finally decided it was the right time to concentrate on creating original art once again and return to where it had all began. Revisiting some of his favourite spots along the coast he fell in love all over again. Exploring Cornwall and Devon with his sketchbook and camera gathering fresh inspiration, he embarked on a new collection of pieces capturing the magic of the wonderful fishing villages and stunning coastline that had drawn him there in the first place. The new work has evolved with subtle colour palettes, larger areas of texture and more attention to architectural detail and you can clearly see the artist is really enjoying being back where he belongs.
Sketchbooks
I frequently sketch on location gathering visual reference to use when I’m back in my studio. I often search for an elevated position above the rooftops where I get glimpses of the harbour or I sit on the harbour wall in amongst all the boats. Working quickly, simplifying the view in front of me, this then helps me create the perfect compositions for the final pieces.
Collage Process & other Techniques
I would best describe my work as mixed media collage. I start by creating coloured grounds and textures on paper with acrylics, using a variety of other techniques including monoprint and block printing to produce extra elements. The main background is then painted onto board using various mark making tools such as rollers and scrapers . I then begin the collage process, cutting out strong shapes in the composition , slowly building up layers, sticking down as I go along, adding more detail and finally finishing the piece with oil pastels to create highlights and sandpaper to soften some of the edges.
Black and White Photography
Black and White photography is the most effective way of recording textures and pattern that I then reinterpret through mark making techniques . I am drawn to the stonework found on Fishermans cottages and Harbour walls , the weathered wood on boats , the repetition of slate roof tiles, the scattered formations of sea -worn pebbles and the shifting ripples in the sand at the waters edge.
Colour Photography
Collecting colour reference for my work has always been a vital part of my creative process. I am continually inspired by the vibrant fishing boats with their striking flashes of colour creating a vivid contrast against the deep indigo blues of the water, where shifting shadows and shimmering light bring a real sense of depth. Equally captivating are the rows of painted houses with their pastel shades, the warmth created when the sunlight hits the sand, revealing rich golden ochres and muted pinks, the whitewashed houses with their delicate chalky palettes and the subtle variations of stone and pale grey that evoke the calm atmosphere of being by the coast.
