Born in Bristol and now based in Bath, Simmonds has developed a distinctive monochromatic style over more than two decades. Working primarily in black, white, and grey, his paintings balance figurative representation and abstraction. Faces and bodies emerge through energetic marks, washes, texture, and gestural movement, preserving both the sitter’s presence and the artist’s hand.
Simmonds’ work offers a unique visual and emotional experience. The restrained palette intensifies the drama of every brushstroke, allowing viewers to notice subtle shifts in tone and form. His compositions often evoke a sense of timelessness, with figures that seem to step out from a shadowy threshold between memory and immediacy. Each painting invites viewers to engage not only with
the surface but with the depths of feeling each carefully rendered gesture reveals.
