Park West Gallery opens “Language of Color” featuring Simon Bull on Aug. 27
“Happy Pursuit V” (2013), Simon Bull
Simon Bull held his first-ever solo exhibition at the age of 18. Now, nearly four decades later, his heartfelt artwork will grace the walls of Park West Gallery in his newest solo exhibition.
The award-winning English artist will showcase more than 50 new paintings during the “Language of Color” exhibition, held Aug. 27 – Oct. 6 at Park West Gallery in Southfield, Michigan.
Guests can meet Bull in person during an opening reception held on Saturday, Aug. 27 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., where guests will gain a first look at this special collection before it’s opened to the public. Light refreshments will be served.
“Park West Gallery is delighted to showcase a collection of over 50 paintings celebrating Bull’s first solo exhibition at Park West Gallery,” says David Gorman, Park West Gallery director.
Those who attend the opening reception will have the first opportunity to acquire works from this stunning collection. Following the opening weekend, the collection will be available to view online. Please contact our gallery consultants for information on collecting Bull artwork.
Bull is considered a colorist for his use of radiant colors and gestural painting styles. He earned the Fine Art Trade Guild Award in 2000 as the top-selling original print artist in Great Britain, and in 2002 was chosen to commemorate the 2002 Winter Olympics.
In 2003 he became the first British artist to win the NALED award for his print “The Journey Never Ends.” He is currently in the process of publishing a book about his artwork.
Bull had the honor of working with Muhammad Ali in 2004 to create a series of works depicting the legendary boxer. A number of these works, signed by both Ali and Bull, will be featured during the exhibition.
“With bold colors and expressive brushstrokes unifying his paintings, Bull has not painted himself into a corner concerning content,” says Gorman. “Be it his vibrant landscapes and still lifes, or his paintings that highlight the life and career of Muhammad Ali, one is invariably astonished by the confidence and skill in Bull’s intuitive brushstrokes.”
Simon Bull with a number of his works that hung in the Ali residence.
Bull’s flair for art was noticed after winning his first art competition at age 6. During his teens his family moved to Hong Kong for several years, where Bull was shaped and influenced by Chinese brushwork and artistry. He held his first solo exhibition in Hong Kong, which led to subsequent successful shows and a career in art, which includes working with Park West Gallery.
“My paintings are not a journey from earth to sky, but are a journey from outward, inward and through,” Bull says. “You go through my paintings and into another space, because every painting has to have a journey.”
Bull immigrated to the U.S. in 2003, and currently resides and paints in the Monterey Bay area of California. He became an American citizen in 2011.
Admission to the exhibition and gallery is free of charge. Park West Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. For more information and to RSVP for the opening, call 248-354-2343 or email RSVP@parkwestgallery.com.
