Biography

Simon James Gilpin was born in Yorkshire, England in 1976.  His interest in oil painting can be traced back to his earliest memories.  Visits to his grandmother’s house were always filled with the smell of turpentine and the paraphernalia of oils, as she sat at the kitchen table painting.  His grandmother’s house was filled with art. Her work hanging alongside paintings by her brother, Richard Eurich (R.A.), a respected war artist, were strong early influences.

The youngest of five children, Simon grew up in the rural setting of a small farm on the edge of woodland, and has always felt a strong connection with nature.  In 1980 his family was forced to move into a crowded council housing estate on the edge of the city of Leeds, following the sudden death of his father.  This drastic and sudden change of environment made a huge impression, and created his deep-seated focus on landscape.  

At the age of 15, Simon began painting with oils after progressing from watercolours.  His mother agreed to buy him his first set of oil paints for completing his high school exams. This early obsession with painting led him to pursue higher education. In the creative environment of Art Collage, Simon was able to explore painting in more depth. Finding his major influences like Leon Kossoff and Frank Auerbach, and starting to experiment with using graffiti and concrete in his work. He received two diplomas and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Specializing in Painting) in 1999 from Bretton Hall University in Wakefield, UK. In the following years, he travelled extensively around the world, sketching and visiting major art collections.  During this time he began to exhibit regularly, having his first major solo show at Hester Gallery in Leeds in 2005.

In 2006, while spending a year working and travelling through Canada, Simon met his wife Jean in Whitehorse, Yukon.  In 2008 the pair married in Yorkshire and spent two years in Ilkley, UK before deciding to return permanently to the Yukon where they first met.  Simon is enjoying fatherhood since the birth of his son Owen in 2014, and is currently working as a professional artist, teacher and gallery manager.  

Simon has also had the privilege of spending several years organizing the visual arts for the Atlin Arts and Music Festival in Atlin, B.C and attending an artist retreat at Dechenla Lodge in Northwest Territories. He has also had his work purchased for the Haines Junction Visitor’s Centre, has multiple pieces in the Yukon Government's Permanent Art Collection, as well as being featured on the Northern B.C and Yukon Telephone Directory cover in 2015. In 2016 Simon received the Advanced Artist Award from the Yukon Government and created a large body of new works that were exhibited at the Yukon Arts Centre's Public Art Gallery from Dec 2017 to March 2018. Simon was also lucky enough to have the opportunity to curate the “Northern Light” show, a national travelling exhibition of artwork from across Canada’s three territories to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017. Simon was excited to gain Canadian citizenship in 2019 and continues to exhibit his work both in Canada and the UK, he is proud to call Yukon, Canada his home.