About
As an artist, Simon Lean has always had a passion for expressing himself through a variety of mediums.
Coming from a family with a rich artistic heritage, which includes his grandfather, an author (and contemporary of literary greats such as Tolkien and CS Lewis) and Head of BBC Foreign Service, and his great uncle the film director Sir David Lean, Simon has never felt compelled to conform to a single artistic medium.
Originally starting with scientific illustration, his work over the last 20 years includes painting, sculpture, graphic design, special effects for film, and antique restoration. Simon has been driven to master the intricacies of various techniques and materials, from charcoal to oil painting to metal and more, bringing his unique perspective to each piece of art he creates.
Born in Chichester in the South of England, Simon was classically trained in scientific illustration at Middlesex University, the leading school in the world at the time for this subject. From this Simon has always been drawn to the natural world and highly detailed figurative work, yet still bringing his own interpretation and sharing the soul of the subject. Of the animal collection Simon states:
“From my formal training I am driven to capture the true..almost photographic.. form, of the animal but the most important part for me is the eye…it reflects the soul and creates an emotional reaction, transforming the piece.”
In the last few years Simon has been experimenting with a less restrictive and more expressive form, creating very bold and modern pieces using acrylic paint and graphic design techniques. A distinct move away from the figurative work with the use of vibrant colour and abstract subject matter. His most recent collection reflects his evolution as an artist combining his impressive figurative technique with a freer style and bold use of colour.
“It comes from my classical training and trying to break free with a less restrictive and more expressive form. I am very drawn to colour and I’ve tried to incorporate it using a resin, as it’s very difficult to control and therefore naturally forces me to be less controlled adding to the process an element of chance too.”
Simon lives in Luxembourg and has exhibited his art in solo and group shows around Europe.