The Artist Norman F. Simms, MFA
The Artist Norman F. Simms, MFA

Hello,


My name is Norman Francis Simms.  I am currently teaching fine arts, writing art books, and creating artworks.  I am originally from Washington DC but now live in Fairless Hills, PA.  My hobbies are biking, reading, gardening, playing pool and watching movies.  These days I am learning to play the piano.


I have good communication and presentation skills, influencing ability, academic profile and technical knowledge of my field.   I also try to keep track of current affairs.


I am a social person.  I love to make friends with other artists and art lovers.  It makes me happy to have people stay in touch so that we learn from each other at every moment of life.


Hope you enjoy this website. 

 

Thanks for Visiting.
Biography of Norman F. Simms, MFA
The artist and publisher, Norman Francis Simms, was born in Washington, DC in the year 1956. He graduated from his first art school, Art Instruction Schools, in 1975. He attended Murray State University on a track scholarship where he continued his education in fine arts. He changed his education path to study various Engineering topics at the Washington School for Drafting Technology and earned an Associate’s Degree in Electrical Engineering Technology at the ICS Center for Degree Studies in Scranton, PA in 1992. He later earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems at the University of Maryland in 2001.

For many years, Norman worked for large engineering corporations creating engineering drawings and illustrations, but he felt he wanted to express himself beyond the commercial arena. His passion for his first love - art - became too strong to ignore. He finally attended the Academy of Art located in San Francisco, California earning a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts in 2012.

Norman creates dynamic paintings and drawings of various mediums and has exhibited his artworks regionally in solo and group exhibitions mostly along the East Coast. He currently teaches various Fine Art classes for drawing and painting online and at several campuses for Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania.

He is also a member of the national fine arts organizations, Portrait Society of America, The Pastel Society of America, and Oil Painters of America, and the local arts organizations in Bucks County, Artsbridge, Artists of Yardley, and Artists of Bristol on the Delaware. 

He is the CEO and Founder of Juno Arts Center Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation that produces and sells original artworks and prints and publishes various art books. He revised and re-published his book – “The Interview Between the Jackass and the Artist” - in 2021. He published four books of his “Introduction to Drawing Series” – “Book One - Pencil Drawing Still Life”, “Book Two - Charcoal Drawing”, “Book Five - Pastels Drawing”, and “Book Six - Principles and Elements of Art and Design” – in 2021 and 2022.

Copies of many of his original oil and pastel paintings and charcoal and pencil drawings are displayed in an online gallery at the website, https://www.normanfinearts.com/.

Artist Statement of Norman F. Simms, MFA
I am currently exploring artworks that include visual beauty, drama and tension of different people. I want to bring out the beautiful wide range of lush colors, textures and emotions that depict the energy, joy and beauty of human figures and their surroundings. My goal is to arrange spaces and manipulate colors in order to create narratives that my viewers can relate to. 

I see art as a powerful and complex form of communication. I try not to draw and paint what others want to see as just pleasing and joyful. Instead, I want to communicate new ideas of truthful depictions of what I see and experience. Being an artist, I aim to deliver universal feelings within my artworks from how I psychologically and emotionally am connected within my art. 

It is imperative for me to continue to explore new ways to see, entertain, enlighten and educate viewers through art. In my artworks, I want to show how life can be unfair but still beautiful, despite the unexpected bumps and twists that occur during life’s journey.

Artist Resume of Norman F. Simms, MFA
Solo Exhibitions
2012 Around Town, Bag Ladies, New Hope, PA
2008 The Face Exhibition, Bell Tavern, Lambertville, NJ
2007 Juno Arts Center Exhibition, Fairless Hill, PA
2006 The Art Show Exhibition, College Park, MD

Group Exhibitions
2024 Philadelphia Pastel Society's Juried Members Exhibition, Henry Gallery at Penn State Great Valley, Malvern, PA
2023 Philadelphia Pastel Society's 2nd National Open Juried Exhibition, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA
2023 Celebrate Art! Artists of Bristol & Bristol Students Exhibit, Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library, Bristol, PA
2022 Ellarslie Open 39 Annual Juried Show, The Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion, Trenton, NJ
2022 Show Some HeART 125, The Gallery at Lower Bucks Campus, Bristol, PA
2022 Artsbridge 2022 Annual Member Art Exhibition, Prallsville Mills, Stockton, PA
2019 In the Shadows, The Gallery at Lower Bucks Campus, Bristol, PA
2017 Furniture as Art Exhibit, The Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion, Trenton, NJ
2012 Nude Nite Exhibit, Tampa, FL
2011 Ellarslie Museum, XXIX Open Exhibit, The Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion, Trenton, NJ
2011 The Abud Family Foundation for the Arts, Lawrenceville, NJ
2010 Gallery 125 Exhibition of “Small Works, Trenton, NJ
2002 The Maryland Association of Fine Arts Show, Bowie, MD

Awards/Certifications
2022 Jerry's Artarama Award for Runner-Up-Pastel "Victoria", Ellarslie Open 39 Annual Juried Show, The Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion
2017 Grumbacher Art Instruction Certifications in Drawing and Painting
2011 The Palmer Award for Excellence, The Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion
Professional Experience
2019-Present Art Instructor, Bucks County Community College, Continuing Education, Newtown, PA
2017 Grumbacher Art Instructor for Michaels, Langhorne, PA 
2014 Artists of Yardley AOY Art Center, Workshop Classes “Introduction to Pastels” 
2013 Artists of Bristol on the Delaware and Artsbridge “How to Promote Yourself and Sell Your Art Creating an Artist Package”
1986-2017 Artist/Designer, Drafter and Illustrator for Engineering Corporations

Publications
2023 Introduction to Drawing Series Book Four Color Pencils Drawing, In Progress 
2022 Introduction to Drawing Series Book Three Pen, Brush, and Ink Drawings, Blurb publishing
2022 Introduction to Drawing Series Book Six Principles and Elements of Art and Design, Blurb publishing
2022 Introduction to Drawing Series Book Five Pastels Drawing, Blurb publishing
2021 Introduction to Drawing Series Book Two Charcoal Drawing, Blurb publishing
2021 Introduction to Drawing Series Book One Pencil Drawing Still Life, Blurb publishing
2021 Interview Between the Jackass and the Artist Revised, Blurb publishing
2013 Interview Between the Jackass and The Artist, Amazon, XLBRIS publishing 
2013 Important World Artists Vol. 1, A World of Arts, World Wide Art Books, Inc.
2012 Portrait and, Nude Paintings & Philosophies, Amazon, XLBRIS publishing
2012 “Stroke of Beauty”, By Melissa Yerkov, Wire Executive Editor, Midweek Wire
2009 The Best of America Pastel Artists, Volume II


Education
2012 MFA, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
2002 Diploma, The School of Web Site Design, Atlanta GA
2001 BA, University of Maryland, University College Adelphi, MD
1992 Associate’s Degree Electrical Engineering Technology, ICS Center for Degree Studies, Scranton, PA 
1977-1979 Washington School for Drafting Technology, Washington, DC
1975 -1977 Fine Art Program, Murray State University, Murray, KY
1975 Diploma, Art Instructions Schools, Minneapolis, MN

Professional Affiliations
Member of the Portrait Society of America
Member of the (OPA) Oil Painters of America
Member of the (PSA) Pastel Society of America
Member of the (PPS) Philadelphia Pastel Society 
Member of Artsbridge
Member of the Artists of Bristol on the Delaware (AOB)
Member of the Artists of Yardley (AOY)
Member of the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Member of the Trenton Museum Society
Member of the James A. Michener Art Museum

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