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"When I draw wildlife the eyes are what I notice first. They mesmerise me. Once I have drawn the eyes the rest of my work follows. I aspire to show not just an "animal" but a living , breathing being who shows intelligence and has feelings - who belongs to a family and plays an essential role within our ecology that balances our intricate web of life."
For the first 8 years of her life Geraldine lived in London, England and settled in Australia in 1968. As a child of parents who worked in the performing arts this led to spending many weeks and months away from home in boarding school, yet the two activities that made her feel more ‘at home’ and made her heart sing was drawing and riding her bike.
Time spent alone riding her bike inspired her love of nature and deep appreciation for all living things. At any opportunity and with wonder she would study things that caught her eye such as the unique patterns and texture of a tree trunk, the way the light shone through the leaves or the soft, velvety feel of a flower petal. These experiences helped enhance and develop her observational skills as well as the patience required to create detailed works for art.
Over time Geraldine’s love of drawing has evolved into the detailed real-life portraits of wildlife that she draws today in either mixed media or scratchboard. These mediums enable her to capture the true nature and essence that bring each animal to life. Through paying close attention to the eyes her mission is to communicate that animals are innocent, loving and sentient beings just like us.
In 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016 Geraldine's artwork was selected for the virtual exhibit and companion hard cover book for the Art of Conservation- An International Exhibit of Nature in Art in conjunction with AFC annual festival in Vancouver, Canada.
AFC selects an artist each month for artistic excellence and extraordinary dedication to conservation. In 2010 Geraldine was awarded the AFC Conservation Artist Award for May.
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS:
2017 First Exposure Art Exhibition, If U Like Art Studio, Brookvale, NSW
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2016 Light Space & Time Online Gallery – Solo Art Series #4
JOINT EXHIBITIONS:
2015 Looking at the Bigger Picture, Painters Gallery, Manly, NSW
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
2017 6th Annual International Exhibition of Scratchboard Art, Stump Hill Gallery, McLaren Vale, SA
2016 ENDANGERED Art and Photography exhibition - Miami, USA
2016 Art of Conservation- An International Exhibit of Nature in Art -Virtual exhibit in conjunction with AFC annual festival, Vancouver, Canada
2016 Warringah Art Prize, Warringah Creative Space, NSW
2016 6th Annual Nature Art Exhibition, Light, Space and Time Online Gallery, Pennsylvania, USA
2016 The Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize, South Australian Museum, SA
2016 5th Annual International Exhibition of Scratchboard Art - Arizona Sonora Desert Museum – Ironwood Gallery – Tucson, Arizona, USA
2016 Kenneth Jack Memorial Drawing Award – Guild Galleries, VIC
2015 Warringah Art Prize, Warringah Creative Space, NSW
2015 5th Annual Nature Art Exhibition, Light, Space and Time Online Gallery, Pennsylvania, USA
2015 Ku-ring-gai Awards exhibition, St Ives Shopping Village, NSW
2015 Linus Galleries, Realism Online Exhibition, Long beach and Pasadena, USA
2015 Sydney Royal Easter Show, Olympic Park, Sydney
2105 Golden Turtle 9th International Wildlife Art Festival, Moscow, Russia
2014 Richeson75 International Animals, Birds and Wildlife 2014, Wisconsin, USA
2014 4th Annual Nature Art Exhibition, Light, Space and Time Online Gallery, Pennsylvania, USA
2014 Art For Conservation Exhibition –virtual exhibit and companion hard cover book in conjunction with AFC annual festival, Vancouver, Canada
2014 Warringah Art Exhibition, If u Like Art Studio, NSW
2014 Wildlife Art @ Discovery Exhibition, CSIRO Discovery Centre, ACT
2014 Kenneth Jack Memorial Drawing Award – Guild Galleries, VIC
2014 AGRA Drawing the Essential Art - Guild Galleries, VIC
2013 Art For Conservation Exhibition - virtual exhibit and companion hard cover book in conjunction with AFC annual festival, Vancouver, Canada
2013 3rd Annual Botanicals Art Exhibition Light, Space and Time Online Gallery, Pennsylvania, USA
2013 Royal Easter Show, Sydney Showgrounds, Sydney
2013 Light, Space and Time Online Gallery 3rd Annual Nature Art exhibition
INVITATIONAL EXHIBITIONS:
2016 Animals in Art, AGRA Guild House Galleries, VIC
2015 First Exposure Art Show and Sale, If u like Art Studio, NSW
2015 Animals in Art – AGRA Guild House Galleries, VIC
2015 Orangutan Protection Foundation Art Exhibition in conjunction with World Orangutan Day, London, UK
2014 Animals in Art – AGRA Guild House Galleries, VIC
2014 Sea Shepherd Art Auction, Fremantle Sailing Club, WA
2013 Animals in Art – AGRA Guild House Galleries, VIC
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
“Featured Artist” – Blue Thumb – Sept, 2016
"Artist Spotlight” – Art Tour International – July, 2016
“Living and thinking–like us” – Manly Daily – November 25th, 2015, p.15
“Pair Look at the Bigger Picture” – Pittwater Life Magazine – October 2015, p.36
Ku-ring-gai Art Society – 50th Anniversary hard cover book - 2015
Artists for Conservation (AFC) Exhibit hard cover Book - p.176, 2014
“The North Shore Art Society” – Australian Artist Magazine – September 2014, p.76
“A Life As A Human interview with Geraldine Simmons, Wildlife Artist For Conservation” - Life as a Human magazine – The Human Interest Magazine for Evolving Minds – June 2nd, 2014
“What’s in the Future for Orangutans”- Life as a Human magazine – The Human Interest Magazine for Evolving Minds – Guest Artist, March 27, 2014
“Year In Review. Our top winning artists for2014.” Light, Space and Time Online Gallery, USA
“Orangutan Encounter Stirs Artist to Fundraise for FNPF” –Friends of the National Parks Foundation - Latest News, October 2013
“When I Draw Wildlife I See More Than Just the Animal, I See a Soul.” - Wildlife Rescue Magazine – Issue 6, February 2013, p.24
Artists for Conservation (AFC) Exhibit hard cover Book - p.178, 2013
RECOGNITIONS AND AWARDS:
2016 ENDANGERED Art and Photography exhibition - finalist
2016 Contemporary Art Gallery Online – ALL Animals – Mixed media- 1st place
2016 Light, Space and Time Online Gallery 6th Annual Nature Art Exhibition – Special Recognition
2016 NSAS 70th Annual Exhibition- People’s choice plus highly commended
2016 The Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize - finalist
2016 5th Annual International Exhibition of Scratchboard Art- Venkat Award
2016 Kenneth Jack Memorial Award - finalist
2015 AGRA Australian Artists Online – 3rd Place
2015 Warringah Art Prize – Special Mention
2015 Light, Space and Time Online Gallery 5th Annual Nature International Art Exhibition-Special Merit
2015 Linus Galleries USA, International Realism Online Exhibition- finalist
2015 AGRA Animals in Art – High Achievement Award
2015 Golden Turtle 9th International Wildlife Art Contest in Fine Art category, Moscow - Finalist
2014 Richeson75 International Animals, Birds and Wildlife 2014, Pennsylvania, USA – finalist
2014 Light, Space and Time Online Gallery 4th Annual Nature International Art Exhibition – Overall Winner plus Special Merit
2014 North Shore Art Society 68th Annual Exhibition- People’s Choice
2014 WABA Inc 2014 Wildlife Art @ Discovery Exhibition - finalist
2014 Kenneth Jack Memorial Award - finalist
2013 Australian Guild of Realist Artists Spring Exhibition – commended
2013 North Shore Art Society Spring Art Exhibition– featured artist
2013 Light Space and Time Botanicals International Art Exhibition – Special Merit Award
2013 Light Space and Time Nature Art International Exhibition – Hon. mention
SELECTED REVIEWS:
“Geraldine Simmons”
1988 Art Nouveau Publishing Company – page 60
Card Sharp
SELECTED COLLECTIONS:
Mission Australia, Sydney - 2001
PRIVATE COLLECTIONS:
Australia, USA, London, South Africa, Netherlands
WORKSHOPS/PRESENTATIONS:
Scratchboard demonstration for Oatley 101 Society of Artists, Oatley, NSW
Scratchboard demonstration for North Shore Art Society, NSW
Bear Cottage children’s workshop, Manly, NSW
Presentation for The Older Women’s Network, Chatswood, NSW
Feel free to contact Geraldine for Master resume.
Wildlife and pet commissions accepted.
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Support for Conservation:
Geraldine supports several animal welfare and environmental groups through donations of her works of art. Closest to her heart is Friends of the National Parks Foundation (http://www.fnpf.org) in Borneo, Indonesia, who focus on the conservation of orangutans and other Indonesian wildlife.
When visiting a national park in the remote jungles Borneo Geraldine got a close- up view of orangutans while they were rehabilitating in quarantine at NGO Friends of the National Parks Foundation (FNPF). One orangutan grabbed her hand and pulled her towards it. “It’s hard to put into words how awesome that experience was. There is so much intelligence, beauty and innocence that shine from their eyes. It made me realize how closely connected we are to them.” This was a defining moment for Geraldine to do use her art as a portal for raising greater awareness of endangered wildlife.
Inspired by this life-changing trip Geraldine founded the “Riding for Rangas” annual charity bike ride in 2009 (biennial since 2013) to raise funds and awareness for FNPF. Riders are sponsored to complete the challenging 300km distance in two days.
Geraldine donated her drawing “Sole Koala” to help raise funds for making the feature-length documentary “Milking The Rhino.” Made to raise awareness of African wildlife conservation. The film won many awards in several film festivals, including best documentary, best nature documentary and best cinematography.
Since 2005 Geraldine has sold a number limited editions and originals for the benefit of Humane Society International, Borneo Orangutan Society, Silvery Gibbon Art Auction and Sea Shepherd Art Auction.
Geraldine is a regular supporter of Bush Heritage Australia and the Australian Conservation Foundation.
Publications:
- Scratch me Happy! (2016)
Featured article - How to create realistic and expressive animal portraits using scratchboard -
Author: Geraldine Simmons
Published by: Australian Artist magazine
Organization Membership:
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