Maureen Simpson – Painter

The painter Maureen Simpson, who is passionate about art and inspired by Portugal.

In the artistic universe there are many excellent painters! Have you read the interview of artist MariAn Simpson and enjoyed some of her works in the small gallery of images? Today, we present the amazing painter Maureen Simpson, who is passionate about art and inspired by Portugal.
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We: We know that you live in Portugal. Tell us a little about yourself and the reasons why you came to live in Portugal?

Maureen: I live in Foz do Arelho. I have lived here for 9 years. I love the light , the landscape , the sea and the Lagoon.

We: How and when did the desire to paint start? Do you have special art training, do you follow any artistic trend?

Maureen: I went to University in Manchester and studied fine arts. I painted in oils and mixed media. I was a teacher of art for many years in the UK. I have painted in watercolour and now I use acrylic.

We: What materials and techniques do you prefer to use in your works?

Maureen: I have used acrylic on canvas since I arrived in PORTUGAL. I like to use the paint in thin layers and let the canvas show through as in watercolour.

We: The opening of The Arthouse was held on October 5th in a joint exhibition with another artist, MariAn Simpson. We know that you are friends and that you have in common a taste for painting. Can you identify the differences and / or similarities between the works of the two of you? Do you think the works fit in perfect harmony?

Maureen: I think that our styles and colour palette are different, Marian uses oil and I use acrylic. We are both inspired by our surroundings .

We: When you have a blank canvas in front of you, do you know in advance what you are going to paint, do you wait for inspiration or are you inspired by something you see?

Maureen: I always know what I am going to paint , I have to be inspired before I reach for a new canvas .

We: In the works we have observed, we can see the importance of colour and light, and of the movement which captures “life” in various situations – sea, land, countryside, water, and sunsets. Is nature one of your sources of inspiration? What kind of landscapes or what other subjects do you most like to paint?

Maureen: I have always been inspired by the landscape whether it is in the mountains of Scotland, the lakes of the Lake District in England, the skies of Holland, or the lavender fields of Provence.

We: What do you hope to make happen in the short and medium term? Do you have any projects in mind?

Maureen:  I have no specific projects in mind, I shall continue to paint when I can.

We: Finally, we ask you to choose one of your works and tell us the reason for that choice.

Maureen:  I have painted in themes since I came to Portugal, I started with the lagoon, reflections and the sky. I then went onto sand patterns and light and shade, then I tackled the waves and the sea. There are other paintings which catalogue my travels as mentioned above.

At the moment my favourite painting in the exhibition is Wave No 5. I have learnt from my previous work and I think that this painting captures the movement and colour I was trying to achieve.

Thank you Maureen Simpson.

* See here the gallery of images of oil paintings by Maureen Simpson

** And here you can see the other interview with Marian Simpson