Simon Williams
Simon Williams SBA Fellow, is an RHS Gold Medalist and regarded as one of the UK's leading botanical artists. With over 20 years of illustrating, he has developed excellent skills in gouache, watercolour and acryl-gouache mediums. In 2022 Simon launched a botanical and natural history painting course. This course is set to help you gain confidence, improve your artwork and find inspiration within the natural world. During the course, mentored tutoring sessions are provided with twelve Zoom consultations. Digital feedback visuals are also given on your final artwork project and to find out more about the Course please visit Painting Course Simon is just as much a plantsman as he is a botanical artist, with a collection of exotic plants ranging from Banksia, Protea, Wollemi Pine, Luecodendron, Nepenthes, and Orchids all growing at his home in Dorset, on the South Coast of England. Inspired by nature his original training was as a natural history illustrator but led more into botanical painting by his love of exotic plants. Simon has been a Fellow member of the Society of Botanical Artists (SBA) since 2002 and received Certificates of Botanical Merit in 2001, 2003 and 2019. In 2013 became the Course Director of the SBA's Distance Learning Diploma Course. Botanical Painting with Gouache published in 2016 by Batsford was written and illustrated by Simon as there was a noticeable gap in the market for a book on gouache painting techniques. Gouache is a popular medium for illustrators offering a diverse, opaque form of painting, ideal for many types of art. In July 2018 he was awarded a Royal Horticultural Society Gold Medal for a series of paintings titled 'A Broad Selection of Tropical Pitcher Plants - Nepenthes', painted in watercolour. Simon trained as a natural history illustrator in the late 90’s and over the past 20 years, Simon has carved out a career in illustration although he has concentrated more on botanical painting and tutoring. SW Illustrations has been involved with illustration projects for large agencies and design companies supplying artwork for books, magazines, clothing companies and brand designs. Examples can be seen here Clients. Simon now tutors botanical and natural history painting workshops throughout the UK and abroad. Each workshop is structured and organised with demonstrations followed by individual guidance, making plenty of time to assist each students' needs and abilities.
