About The Artist

Artist Statement

Robert J. Simone

Rooted in a modest upbringing which included boating, fishing, drawing and painting with my father, I have grown to prefer the simple things and find extraordinary beauty in ordinary places. I am moved by the enduring coastal scenes of old Florida, its marshes, estuaries, harbors and villages. My passion for oil painting demands that I capture the natural beauty of Florida before the rising tides of progress engulf its unique character in the inaccessible world of private communities and marinas. I do so with a sense of gratitude towards State and County governments for their efforts at preserving the original Florida in our wonderful parks and reserves.

My Process

Robert J. Simone

I paint on location regularly, using a limited palette. These small scale field studies are either developed into finished “Plein Air” paintings or used as
reference material for larger studio pieces.

Artist’s Resume

Recent Awards & Exhibitions:

2009 Crescent Beach Paint Out
2009 Painting the Bartram Trail Plein Air Event
2009 Florida’s Forgotten Coast Plein Air Invitational
2009 Dudley Farm Paint Out sponsored by Florida’s Eden
2009 “Paint Out In Paradise”, Venice Fl
2008 Forgotten Coast Plein Air Invitational
Exhibition of Select Plein Air Paintings in Mayor Rick Baker’s Office, St. Petersburg, Fl May 2008
Juried selection to participate in Creative Capital workshop sponsored by State of Florida Cultural Affairs
3rd Place “Paintout in Paradise 2008” Venice, Fl
Cultural Affairs Grant 2008 Pinellas Co., Fl
“Paint the Town” 2007 St. Petersburg, Fl
“Paintout in Paradise” 2007
The National Arts Program Exhibition 2006.
Honorable Mention “Paint the Town 2006” St. Pete.
Honorable Mention in “Paint Out in Paradise” Venice Florida 2006
Award of Excellence “Paint the Town 2005”
Award of Merit 2005 “Paint Out” Crescent Beach, Florida

Memberships & Civic Involvement

Faculty Staff at Suntan Fine Arts
Workshop Instructor at Indian Rocks Beach Art Center
Workshop Instructor at Art Alliance of Boca Grande
Artist’s Alliance of North Florida (AAONF)
Plein Air Florida Signature Member
Founding President of St. Petersburg Representational Art Association, Inc. (SPRAA)

Education

BSCE University of So. Florida 1992
Techniques of the Masters with Luis De La Lama St. Petersburg Arts Center 2004-05
Anthony Ryder Figure Drawing Workshop Armory Arts Center 2005
Christopher Still Plein Air Painting Workshop 2005
Clayton Beck Portrait Workshop 2006
Mary Erickson Landscape Painting Workshop 2007
Scott Christensen 10-Day Intensive Landscape Painting Workshop, Victor, Idaho 2007
Creative Capital Marketing Workshop 2008
Scott Christensen 10-Day Advanced Landscape Painting Workshop, Victor, Idaho 2008

Artistic Growth

Edgar Payne said, "No one can paint better than he/she knows how. We must accumulate knowledge, study nature often and practice continually." I teach my students to paint better using Edgar Payne's principles.

Simone Says

This is the rebirth of my old high school newspaper column. Here I share my insights and opinions about the fine art of oil painting.

One Of My Inspirations...

...Is my father's life. A high-schooler when the Great Depression hit, he left school to help support his father's family. Though highly talented, the grim economic realities of that era made it impossible to live out his dreams of becoming a professional painter. It is my dream to do what he could not.