Jackie Simmonds

Award-winning British artist Jackie Simmonds works primarily in pastels, but also in oil and watercolor. She's written three books, including Pastel Workshop (HarperCollins, 1994) and created four videos. Her work's been shown in some of Britain's leading art institutions, including The Pastel Society and the Society of British Artists. For more information, visit her Web site www.jackiesimmonds.co.uk.

Jackie Simmonds loves a challenge. Her strong sense of adventure and a craving to try new things have resulted in an array of technical skills that allow her to portray a wide variety of subjects. "My nature has most shaped my art, I think. I don't like to repeat myself, so although I'm happy to work on a series, I find it difficult not to move onto something new after awhile. I like to learn in order to grow. I'm terrified initially, for fear of not being able to do it well enough to satisfy my own fairly high standards. Nevertheless, the excitement of the new challenge always overcomes the terror."

Her determination to paint led Simmonds back to art school after a 10-year hiatus in which she opened her own business in central London. "I started as a secretary, moving quite quickly into advertising and eventually I opened an employment agency providing secretaries to the advertising world. After several years of running my own business, I announced that I wanted to attend art school. My husband was surprised but completely supportive. With young kids, it wasn't always easy. I remember one morning rushing off to class in my house slippers," she laughs.

Back to School
"With a portfolio of work I applied to an art school-it was a course equivalent to a degree course at a university. All I could show initially were some watercolor paintings I'd been doing. The professors said they needed to see evidence of my drawing skills, so I joined a life class and went back again after several months, only this time with a stack of life drawings. They accepted me for a one-year, full-time foundation course, and then I went on to do three more years in illustration. I probably should've chosen a fine art course but this was in the early '70s, and art schools were going through a period of 'let the students find out things for themselves' and I preferred the idea of a more structured course. When I finished I returned to my watercolor teacher, who then was teaching classes in pastel, which got me started on pastels. I've never looked back! "I started to teach the moment I left school," Simmonds recalls. "I felt I had the maturity and confidence to do it. In the process, I learned a lot. I taught watercolor to adult education students; then I gradually switched over to pastels. At this point, I've taught all subjects, run workshops and taken painting groups to Europe. I've always enjoyed teaching because it stretches me. I have to make sure that I do my homework so I know what I'm talking about. I enjoy another aspect of teaching, as well-being with like-minded people and sharing my knowledge."

The Evolution of a Career
Simmonds achieved early success with large still life paintings filled with colorful flowers; they were made into prints that sold worldwide. Before long the still life moved out into a sunny garden setting, and eventually the garden itself became the subject. "Over the years I've tackled a lot of different subjects in response to both my nature and my travels," Simmonds explains. From her home in suburban London, on the borders of Middlesex and Hertfordshire, she visited India, Morocco, Italy and France, trips that inspired a variety of landscapes and city scenes. "And then I discovered Venice," she muses. "I stayed in the same hotel Whistler stayed in, painting from his room. I watched the sun set over the Salute and marveled at the golden light on the lagoon. Venice continually draws me like a magnet."

The Grand Canal in Venice was of particular interest to Simmonds, as it's been for countless other artists. "If I could've stayed at one of the hotels on the Canal I could've painted it, but the area is absolutely awash with tourists. As it was I stood elbow to elbow with them and drew in my sketchbook with pencil or watercolor. I came home with a full sketchbook--I was constantly sketching--and probably sixteen rolls of film. Now I sit with both sketches and photos, along with my memories. After awhile, I start from scratch on a painting. That's how Evening, Grand Canal Venice (at right) came about. I remembered how the sun shone off the water."

Seeing as an Artist Sees
Recently a lifetime interest in the ballet paintings of Edgar Degas (1834-1917) inspired Simmonds to paint ballet scenes of her own. From early in her art career, she considered Degas her teacher in the nuances of painting, instructing her through his images. "One day my first tutor pointed out that Degas' ballet images all showed evidence of a strong, underlying geometric structure. This was a revelation to me. I began to realize that there was a language Degas used, a language that only another artist could recognize and understand. I suddenly began to see as an artist sees. I was able to look at a subject and find echoing shapes and compositional connections and rhythms that I'd never noticed before. At that moment, I began to believe that I could really be an artist. I'd always loved Degas' pictures, particularly the ballet and bath series, but after realizing what was going on in them, I loved them even more. The pictures seemed to epitomize everything that was excellent and special about the painting process. I was, and still am, keen to learn as much as possible from him."

In the Footsteps of Degas
Another reason the ballet held an attraction for Simmonds was that she had, as a youngster, studied ballet and won prizes for her dancing. "Weak ankles thwarted my ambition. I was quite good as a child," she says, "but as soon as the time came to go en pointe I was forced to stop. Nonetheless, I always wanted to paint dancers. Only recently have I felt that I was good enough to try it." To prepare for the challenge, Simmonds signed up for more life drawing classes. "I'd painted figures before but as soon as I chose to tackle the ballet theme, I decided to ensure that my figure drawing was up to snuff by regularly attending life drawing classes. Anatomy was never one of my strong points. One of my tutors once said that since I'd never be able to draw accurately, I should resort to distortion. I've been very determined to improve my drawing skills ever since. I applied to a life class at the Royal Academy School (London), which is run by tutors from the the New English Art Club. Throughout the year I've spent working on this ballet series I've continued these classes."

Ever mindful of her inspiration, Simmonds says: "I like to think that Degas encouraged me in this. I was nervous, but took the plunge anyway, as is my nature. Permission to attend a rehearsal class with the English National Ballet, an internationally acclaimed company, along with trips to a local ballet school, started the ball rolling. I also had a dancer from the Royal Ballet come and model for me." The figures in Simmonds' paintings are of dancers warming up at the barre, stretching or waiting to go onstage. Faces are obscured; as a result, the pictures evoke the universal ballerina. "Facial features always attract attention. I prefer it when the figure's face is hidden. I don't want someone to look at my painting and recognize who the person is. Instead, I want the viewer to be able to enjoy the figure because of the pose, the dress and the feeling."

Aspects of Craft
Simmonds begins by doing a number of thumbnail sketches; she then chooses a format from among them. Next, depending on the look she desires, she selects her surface. "I like the smooth side of Canson Mi-Teintes. I also
enjoy working on Fabriano Tiziano. Sometimes I use Art Spectrum coated board, which has more tooth than pastel paper and holds many layers of pastel. The finished effect looks different, too--heavier, denser, more like that of an oil painting. Occasionally, I prepare my own boards with a mixture of acrylic gesso and marble dust, a process that gives me a waterproof board with plenty of tooth.

"But I work on Canson very often, starting with a charcoal underdrawing. With Canson it's very important not to fill the tooth too quickly, so instead of charcoal I sometimes use a felt-tip pen for an underdrawing. You must work with a very light touch-you can't ladle on the pastel.

"I've also recently discovered the joys of black paper. I use either Canson or Somerset Velvet, which is heavier. Although it's not strictly a pastel paper, its smooth surface still grips the pastel and holds quite a few layers. I find it a very satisfying surface to work on. Colors really glow on black paper-the effect is dynamic. I use a pastel pencil for the drawing. It doesn't hurt to spray either the pastel pencil drawing or the char-coal with some fixative, but I dust off any heavy marks first."

A Sketchy Underdrawing
In the underdrawing, Simmonds records the main shapes of her subject. If she's painting a figure she'll assure herself that the proportions are correct, but this is as detailed as the drawing gets. "I begin with the darkest parts of the image, using a variety of colors in dark tones. I generally use the side of the pastel, blocking in quite roughly and quickly. I move on to medium tones and may add just a few of the lightest tones, to ensure that the range is right. The medium tones can be better judged if there are a few touches of my lightest tones on the paper. As I move into the medium tones, I begin to slow down and strive for more accurate draftsmanship.

"At times I'll allow the image to speak to me, telling me what's needed. I like to think of this as freewheeling, listening to my instincts. At other times, I deliberately consider the painterly elements of the picture: cools against warms, lights and darks, echoing shapes and lines, rhythms, lost or found edges, counterchange, perspective, and ways to emphasize the focal point. I sometimes use side strokes of pastel, blending, or the point for linear marks. The technique needs to be consistent, however, with each area of the painting working with and relating to other areas."

Seeing the Painting's Reflection
As the image progresses, Simmonds repeatedly turns to view the painting in the full-length mirror behind her. "Seeing something in reverse is like seeing it with new eyes. It's a good way to spot areas that need further work. When I feel as though I'm fiddling, I stop. The picture is probably finished at this point but I usually leave it for a day or two, often putting it in different corners of the studio so I can creep up on it and let it to surprise me," she adds.

Generally Simmonds prefers to work from life but when that isn't possible she photographs the subject. For the ballet pictures, she found times when it was impractical. "Standing in the dark wings when a production is in progress is not the place to sketch or produce original works, so I had to work from photographic references. However, the photos, taken without a flash as I lurked among the dancers, were very dark indeed and I had to use a great deal of artistic license. The individual dancers were painted from life in my studio, but I wanted the paintings to look as though the dancers were either in a rehearsal studio or in a dressing room, so I had to use my imagination for the backgrounds."

Over the course of her pastel painting career Simmonds has accrued a wealth of techniques she may call on to best express her subject. "I let the subject matter dictate the approach I use. For instance, in some of my ballet paintings I allowed the strokes to show through on the black paper, an effect almost like that of a wood-cut, cross-hatching with strong colors in very separate areas."

The Importance of Feeling
"I always try to respond to my feelings and make sure that whatever technique I use is appropriate for the emotional content of the piece," says Simmonds. "Occasionally I'll use blending and often I use broken color or cross-hatching. I move from one approach to another depending on the subject matter. I prefer that the painting be about the atmosphere, the feeling, rather than about a particular technique."

Responding to her adventurous streak, Simmonds recently decided to return to painting still life, but with a bit of a twist. "I'm starting a new series, trying to use strong geometry and very vibrant color. In Lemons and Blue (at left), I was very brave and actually tipped up the perspective, which is really unfamiliar territory. I've always used very literal perspective before this, but now I want a more modern, avant-garde look.

"I really enjoy that which is new; I find change interesting, exciting and dynamic. I never throw myself into something halfheartedly. I'm ambitious and always strive to reach new heights, although it hasn't always been so easy. I've had to work at it all, constantly battling to survive. I can only tell you that painting doesn't get any easier: the more you know, the higher your expectations of yourself. You must always strive to do the best you can in the best way."

© 2004 Deborah Christensen Secor is an artist, writer and contributing editor to The Pastel Journal, who lives in Sandia Park, New Mexico. For more information, visit her Web site at www.deborahchristensen.com.

Originally published in The Pastel Journal, September 2004