Some art makes you think. Some art makes you stop and stare. And then there’s Simon Clarke’s art, the sort that makes you laugh out loud, look a little closer, and wonder how on earth you’ve managed to live without a picture of a sheep changing a lighthouse bulb.
There’s something rather wonderful about walking into a room and finding a painting that instantly lifts your spirits. No complicated explanations, no need to ponder the meaning of life, and certainly no need to pretend you understand what the artist was thinking. Just a picture that makes you smile.
That’s the magic of Simon Clarke.
With his wonderfully whimsical characters, mischievous sense of humour and delightful eye for detail, Simon has created a distinctive style that has won the hearts of art lovers across the country. His paintings are playful, characterful and packed with personality, the sort of artwork that doesn’t simply hang on a wall but becomes part of the household.
And judging by the growing number of people discovering, buying and collecting his work, it seems we could all do with a little more Simon Clarke in our lives!
Art with a sense of humour
Simon’s artistic journey began with a love of experimenting with different techniques and mediums. A self-taught artist, he explored everything from chalk portraits to abstract and surreal landscapes in oil before finding his feet with acrylics. But it was the introduction of humour and playful characters that really set his work apart.
His philosophy is beautifully simple: create paintings that make people smile. And he certainly delivers.
Simon has a knack for taking familiar places, everyday situations and recognisable characters, then giving them an unexpected twist. Sheep become unlikely heroes, dogs develop their own adventurous ambitions, and perfectly ordinary scenes suddenly become gloriously absurd.
Take Ewe Light Up My World, for example. Here, a sheep and a dog are busy changing the bulb in Plymouth’s famous Smeaton’s Tower lighthouse. It’s a simple idea, perhaps, but one that’s hard not to love. Who knew lighthouse maintenance could be quite so woolly?
Then there’s I’m Going In!, featuring a dog heading into a rock pool to retrieve his ball, apparently ready to take his aquatic responsibilities very seriously indeed. Anyone who has ever owned a dog will recognise that single-minded determination. The fact that the dog appears to be preparing for a snorkelling expedition, to ensure a successful retrieval of its precious ball, only adds to the charm.
And that’s the beauty of Simon’s paintings: they’re funny without trying too hard, charming without being twee, and full of little details that reward a second, third and even tenth look.
You might notice something amusing on your first viewing, spot a hidden joke the next day, and discover an entirely new detail weeks later. These are paintings with staying power and a mischievous personality all of their own.
The joy is in the detail
One of the secrets behind Simon’s appeal is that his paintings offer far more than an initial chuckle.
Look closely and there’s usually another story unfolding. A character has an expression that tells you everything you need to know. Something is happening in the background. A seemingly innocent scene contains a small visual joke that might have escaped you the first time around.
It’s rather like having a friendly conversation with a painting, except this one never repeats the same joke quite the same way, and it doesn’t mind if you laugh at the punchline before anyone else notices it.
Simon himself has spoken about his enjoyment of hiding details in his work, drawing inspiration from the kind of art that keeps people interested long after they first encounter it.
That attention to detail gives his paintings a special quality. They invite you to linger, explore and enjoy. They also make them particularly good conversation starters.
Imagine a visitor spotting one of Simon’s sheep-related masterpieces for the first time. There’s the inevitable double-take, followed by a closer inspection, then a grin, then the familiar question: “Where on earth did you get that?”
And just like that, a painting has made someone’s day.
