Welcome to the work of Simon Whitfield, a landscape artist whose passion lies in capturing the rugged beauty and solitude of England's Lake District. Born in Bristol and educated in Anthropology at Durham University. Simon is a self-taught painter inspired by the 19th-century Romantic painters and watercolourists, especially William Turner. His dedication to exploring and documenting the Lake District’s hidden views and iconic landscapes mirrors the spirit of fell-walking author Alfred Wainwright.
Simon’s art reflects a lifelong pursuit of adventure and discovery, blending visual art with his deep love for the mountainous terrain. His works focus on the region's rocks, crags, and sweeping high fells, celebrating both the quiet immovability and the dramatic light effects that bring the landscape to life. Simon’s canvases evoke the 'health-giving peace' of these wild spaces, where only the sounds of nature break the primeval silence.
“What inspires me most is this health-giving peace and solitude, a ringing primeval silence broken only by the iron hard hollow clank of a boot on scree and boulder, skylarks wheeling and the harsh metallic croak of ravens.”
In his latest collection, Simon revisits his roots as a mountain painter, drawing inspiration from iconic Lakeland vistas like the rugged Swirral and Striding Edge, Black Crag, and lesser-known views from Steel Fell and Fairfield. Each painting reflects his fascination with the "skeletal" qualities of the landscape; jagged rocks, sweeping glacial valleys, and the timeless, enduring nature of the mountains themselves. For Simon, even familiar scenes reveal new secrets, offering visitors a renewed perspective on the Lake District through fresh angles, times of day, or seasonal shifts.
Through his work, Simon Whitfield aims to go beyond postcard-perfect images, challenging viewers to see the Lake District as an unending source of beauty, worthy of exploration and artistic reverence.
click below to view exhibition pieces