Claire Simon

Morris Plains, New Jersey

 

I draw the nude in many media, but my greatest enthusiasm has been in using Chinese brush and Sumi- é ink on “rice” (Shou-en) paper. I first learned to use this medium in painting traditional Chinese floral subjects, but soon found that I was not contented to render conventional images. I found, however, that the philosophy of Chinese painting offers an approach that I apply to my figure drawings. The emphasis is on the human being’s expression, eliminating irrelevant detail. My goal is to communicate as much as possible in the simplest possible terms. Of course, what is simple is not easy! I once heard that “the artist should emphasize the unexpected and eliminate the obvious.” Claire Simon has wanted to be an artist long as she can remember, She spent 26 years as a teacher of art in New York City High Schools, and retired at the earliest opportunity to pursue a full-time career as an artist. She has exhibited mostly in New Jersey. Most of her work has been drawing and etching and for the past ten years, she has incorporated much of this work into artist’s books.

nude female back

sumie-é ink on paper

11 x 7

© 2011

$250