Story of Simon Birch

My new life as an artist started moving and I really went for it.

I would hang paintings anywhere possible and would jump on any opportunity to collaborate and did all kinds of odd projects. My first collectors were influential in HK, and they wanted me to paint them. I rapidly became a portrait artist and sold well and the prices went up. All the credit goes to an enthusiastic young woman, Michelle Gladwin who believed in me and hustled and promoted. And also to one of my first clients, Jet Shenkman, who likewise supported me tremendously.

Finally, after some years of independent shows, experiments and projects, I found a gallery, that was willing to show my work, thanks to AAA chief Claire Hsu. And it was one of the best.

A local gallery, 10 Chancery Lane. Mostly working with Chinese and southeast Asian artists, I was blessed they liked me and my work and had my first real gallery show in 2004. It was my first step into the real art world.

I could afford a studio space and worked round the clock. I committed 1000% to develop and improve my practice. My production was non-stop, I could work 7 days, long hours, no problem. I grasped the opportunity and committed.

These images show my work progressing over the 5 years leading up to that first gallery show, you can see it's all over the place in terms of style and delivery as I tried to work out paint and process, subject, movement, nude, abstract, portrait.

A crash course, self teaching how and what to paint.