Shannon Simm
Hobart-based painter and tattoo artist, Shannon Simm captures lived moments in time, exploring her experiences and relationships built with people and objects throughout her travels around Australia.
Words: Holly Terry I Photography: Chris Grundy & Sage Hammond
‘The Masters and Renaissance era inspire me significantly, mainly in regard to tone, softness, technique and composition,’ says Shannon Simm. Photo: Chris Grundy
Evening Citrus by Shannon Simm. Photo: Sage Hammond
‘I mainly want to create an almost captured moment in time, where you can feel the presence of the person in its still frame.’ Pictured: Dearest Zora by Shannon Simm. Photo: Sage Hammond
Shannon Simm knew from a young age that she’d aspire to be a artist. Having her first exhibition at 11 years old (yes, you read that correctly - 11!), the creative has prioritised her artistic career, whether that involved painting large scale oil paintings, public murals or other creative practices, such as tattooing.
Based in Tasmania, Shannon lives and works from her mobile home, a bus. ‘Being mobile means I can park up somewhere beautiful and serene - lately it has been by a river in Lenah Valley, totally secluded and peaceful,’ she says.
Her days, ever changing, typically begin with a morning boogie and fresh coffee in the sun (although, lately, Hobart has been temperamental on this front) followed by a walk with her dog.
‘Being motivated is a pretty important for me in order to paint, which lately comes in waves and is influenced by my environment and surroundings. ‘I have to work to music and get my body pumping. If I’m not feeling too motivated, that soon changes after blasting some drum and bass or funk.’
Inspired by her appreciation for the muses or items within in a painting, Shannon’s works are captured moments in time from of her travels around Australia. Her most recent show, Moments Between Moments, held at HAKE House, reflected upon the different relationships, experiences and moments she has developed throughout this period.
Shannon’s intention is to give a sense of the muses’ personality, nature and mood, while capturing the connection between painter and sitter; ‘My muses are either myself or people in which I’ve crossed paths with on my travelling that I have built a strong connection with and who I see to have beautiful souls and align with morally.’
‘It feels an honour to be able to represent these loved ones in my paintings in such a beautiful and raw way.’ Pictured: Evening Citrus by Shannon Simm. Photo: Sage Hammond
‘Most of my portraits, and some still lifes’, are nude and have nudity in them. I thoroughly enjoy exploring and representing the raw human form in all its natural beauty.’ Pictured: New Found by Shannon Simm. Photo: Sage Hammond
Light is an important factor for Shannon, who, typically plays around with enhancing it or creating certain moods, she appreciates the way it can challenge typical representations and compositions within a work.
In a number of her paintings, the artist uses a double or triple exposure technique, which creates movement, a more accurate representation of a lived moment rather than a simple image; ‘I enjoy tricking the eye and creating a busy scene, where you discover something new the more you look at it.’
When asked her what she was most proud of about her career as a maker so far, her response, refreshingly thoughtful, speaks to her understanding and nurturing attitude toward her sitters; I’m undeniably proud of the way my paintings create a shift in my muses’ views on their bodies and parts of themselves they wouldn’t necessarily see in a beautiful light. It feels incredibly special to represent them in an alternative and vulnerable way.
It's been a big year for Shannon already, and she doesn’t appear to be slowing down by any stretch. She will be involved in a number of group shows throughout December (LEDA Gallery, Newcastle; Onwards Gallery, Newcastle), and three (!) upcoming solo exhibitions at LEDA, Onwards and Bickerstaff Blizzard, Hobart in early 2023.