Artist Mathew Simms lives the simple life that many of us aspire to, living in a single room within a 19th century Gothic school house in Deloraine, Tasmania. Over recent years Mathew has written a series of folk stories that revolve around a character named ‘Mackle Pickle’. Carving wooden dolls and making their clothes to represent some of the books’ characters, Mathew paintings followed in what seems a logical progression.
Mathew’s paintings were done initially to illustrate the books, but over time have developed into exquisite works that are compelling and joyful in their appeal. Mathew has a wonderful colour palette and a natural sense of composition and draftsmanship; numerous observers of his style and composition relate the images to the 19th Century French impressionists.
