« I’m absolutely fascinated by people and I love getting to know them. I enjoy the challenge of capturing their essence in the form of painting », says Michael Simms. The Sydney based painter offers unique detailed portraits, for which he « spend a lot of time talking » with his subjects. « That’s an important part of the process », he adds. As a passionate drawer from a young age the artist was « copying characters from children’s book, family photographs and creating my own illustrations. I think being slightly more introverted meant I was happy to spend several hours sketching away on my own ».

« I’m inspired by work that combines ambition with technique. I love strong narratives, concepts and powerful expressions. I’m also inspired by the people around me and online behaviour. It’s an interesting time to be alive, as technology is becoming rapidly integrated into the human experience. Pausing to think about the impact it has on social interactions and human development has certainly flavoured some of my work »

Found more about his artwork on his Instagram page : @michaelsimmsart