About the Artist

Michael Simms is a multi-award winning queer artist based in Sydney on Gadigal Country. His paintings range from portraiture and landscape work, to explorations of queer culture and identity in the digital age. Michael completed a degree in psychology in his hometown of Adelaide before winning a scholarship for Sydney’s Julian Ashton Art School. In 2018, he was awarded the Royal Art Society of NSW Young Artist Prize and the inaugural SBS Portrait Prize. He’s been a finalist in major art awards, including the Darling Prize, Moran and Kilgour prizes - and has put several notable Australians onto canvas including Thomas Keneally, Liz Ellis, Paul Capsis and Genevieve Lemon.

EDUCATION

2011 - 2014 Diploma of Fine Arts, The Julian Ashton Art School, Sydney (Recipient of the Sydney Mechanics School of Art Scholarship)
2006 - 2011 Bachelor of Behavioural Science and Bachelor of Arts, Flinders University, Adelaide

AWARDS AND PRIZES

2019   
The Naked and Nude Art Prize, Manning Regional Gallery, NSW – Highly Commended
Melt Portrait Prize, Brisbane Powerhouse Museum, QLD – Highly Commended
Fisher’s Ghost Art Prize, Campbelltown Art Centre, NSW – Finalist
EMSLA Still Life Award, Project Contemporary Artspace, NSW – Finalist
The 14^th International ARC Salon, Art Renewal Center, USA - Finalist
Lethbridge 20,000 Art Prize, Lethbridge Gallery, QLD – Finalist
Kennedy Art Prize, Kennedy Arts Foundation, SA – Finalist

2018   
The Young Artist Prize, The Royal Art Society of NSW - Winner
SBS Portrait Prize, Southern Buoy Studios, VIC – Winner
EBNA 2018 First Prize, YSC Consultancy, NSW – Winner
EBNA 2018 People’s Choice, YSC Consultancy, NSW - Winner
Kilgour Art Prize, Newcastle Gallery, NSW – Finalist
Hurford Harwood Portrait Prize, Lismore Regional Gallery, NSW – Finalist  
Melt Portrait Prize, Brisbane Powerhouse, QLD – Finalist
Hunters Hill Art Prize, Hunters Hill Town Hall, NSW – Finalist

• ‘Top Talents To Watch In 2018’, The Music, January 2018
• Talking With Painters The Podcast, Episode 24, 2017
• ABC Weekend Breakfast, 15 October 2017
• The Guardian Australia, 11 October 2017
• ‘Sydney Artist Paints Westmead Doctors in New Light’, Western Sydney Local Health District News, 19 January 2016
• ‘People Person Paints Portrait’, Parramatta Sun, 27 January 2016. 
• Artist Hand Double, A Place To Call Home Season 3, Seven Network, November 2015

RESIDENCIES

2019         
The New York Academy of Art Summer Undergraduate Residency

COLLECTIONS

The ELLIOTT EYES COLLECTION
The Thomas Keneally Centre at the Sydney Mechanics’ School of Art
Cliftons Venues, Sydney
St Patrick’s College Strathfield, Sydney
Champagnat College Pagewood, Sydney