Simon Richardson: Otago Origins

Jonathan Grant Galleries present an exhibition of painting by Simon Richardson.

Simon Richardson was born in Gore in 1974. He studied at the Otago School of Art and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1996. Since then he has been a full time artist.

Richardson’s fascination with textural and intricate detail and the mundane everyday object are the fundamental characteristics of his work. When looking at the stylistic genre Richardson employs, one is likely to put him within the same category as artists like the Spanish realist painter, Antonio Lopez-Garcia, and his friend and mentor Grahame Sydney.

Richardson’s passion for depicting the natural and the figurative can be seen in works such as Hone Tuwhare, the portrait of New Zealand’s literary great. The poet’s response to Richardson’s finished portrait was: ‘You beauty. It’s honest. You didn’t try to glamorise me. Good on ya, mate.’

Richardson has achieved many awards throughout his career. These include three Elizabeth Greenshield Foundation awards, an honour only 48 other people have received; finalist in the Wallace Awards; finalist in the Adam Portraiture Award; winner of the Mainland award; and a scholarship from The New York Academy of Art.