Simon Conolly : Sculptor RBSA, RSMA
2024
‘Til Death Do Us Part. There’s Life in the Old Folks Yet.
The Surrey Sculpture Society’s annual Art in the Garden Exhibition at The Savill Garden, Windsor Great Park. September – October 2024
This work is one of a series of pieces under the title ‘Til Death Do Us Part. This relates to the values of companionship and joy in older age. Life does not stop at 60!
September: We were delighted to receive this image from a client in Ruckersdorf, Bavaria. A Brisk Walk (in foundry bronze) looking wonderful in this beautiful setting.
A Brisk Walk (in Bavaria!)
Simon received the An Talla Solais Award for his work ‘Herring Girls. Sisters in Arms’ at the Annual Exhibition of the Scottish Royal Academy, in Edinburgh.
‘Herring Girls. Sisters in Arms’ is a tribute to the strong, resilient women who gutted and packed the herring catch and who were as important as the fishermen in the success of the herring industry in the East Neuk of Fife in Scotland.
Herring Girls. Sisters in Arms
The Hop Pickers was featured at the Fresh Air Sculpture 2024 Exhibition at Quenington in Gloucestershire.
Simon has been elected to the role of Honorary Curator for the RBSA (Royal Birmingham Society of Artists)
He is responsible for curating seven major exhibitions each year at the RBSA Gallery in the historic Jewellery Quarter, in the heart of Birmingham.
Is the summer of 2024 Simon has curated two Open Exhibitions, the RBSA Portrait Prize and the RBSA Summer Show 2024.
Autumn 2023
Simon has now been elected as a full member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists (RSMA)
Crabbing
Figure of Eight
Crabbing and Figure of Eight were both displayed as part of the
Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition at Mall Galleries, London 21 – 30 Sept 2023.
‘Til Death Do Us Part. The Savill Garden, Windsor Great Park until Oct 31 2023.
Surrey Sculpture Society, Art in the Garden Exhibition.
Summer 2023
Delighted to have been awarded the Savills Sculpture Award for Life Pier, exhibibted at the Chelsea Art Society 74th Open Exhibition.
The judges wrote that ‘there was real emotional energy running across the group and between the sculpted individual figures’.
Spring 2023
Harbour Wall at The Royal Scottish Academy’s 197th Annual Exhibition in Edinburgh. The exhibition ran from 6 May – 11 June 2023.
‘Til Death Do Us Part: The Kiss (one piece in a series) was selected for the Bath Society of Artists Annual Exhibition at the Victoria Art Gallery, Bath 22 April – 24 June 2023.
‘Til Death Do Us Part: Stepping Out ‘Til Death Do Us Part: The Kiss
Winter 2022/23
We are delighted to have Mother & Child and A Brisk Walk (both in bronze) on exhibition at Lympstone Manor in Devon, Michael Caines luxury country house and Michelin Star restaurant.
Autumn 2022
The Boat Race: Tidal Thames was exhibited at the Royal Society of Marine Artists at the Mall Galleries, London 22 Sept – 1 Oct 2022.
Simon demonstrated some of his sculpture techniques at the Mall Galleries.
Vortex
Summer 2022
Man’s Best Friend, in foundry bronze, at Doddington Hall & Gardens, near Lincoln. 16 July – 11 Sept 2022.
The ever popular Pairs of Swallows were also available at Doddington Hall.
One Man & His Dog and A Brisk Walk (both in foundry bronze) were out and about this summer!
Man’s Best Friend (foundry bronze) was part of the Fresh Air Sculpture Exhibition at Quenington Old Rectory (GL7 5BN) from Sunday 5 June until Sunday 26 June.
Winter 2021/22
Cattle Auction was part of The Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition 2022 at the Mall Galleries, London from 3 – 12 March.
The latest foundry bronze sculpture, Man’s Best Friend
Thames Waterman Cutter commission for Christopher Rodrigues CBE, the retiring Chairman at the Port of London Authority.
Autumn 2021
During 2021, Simon was elected as a full member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA). He was also elected as an Associate of the Royal Society of Marine Artists. All selected artists have to serve a period as an Associate before they can be elected as a full member.
On Manoeuvres was shown and sold at the Annual Exhibition of the Royal Society of Marine Artists at The Mall Galleries, London from 30 September to 10 October 2021. Size : 120 x 75 x 10 cm.
Back at The Savill Garden, Windsor Great Park, this time with A Brisk Walk. Made in iron resin and an edition of 30.
Surrey Sculptors Art in the Garden Exhibition from 22 Sept – 2 Nov 2021
Spring 2021
Delighted to see that this Flight of Birds has landed safely in Arlington, Virginia, USA.
Winter 2021
A Brisk Walk is Simon’s first piece cast in foundry bronze. Take a look at the Casting in Bronze page to follow the process.
The second piece, Mother and Child, is at the foundry (Feb 2021) ready to be cast in bronze.
Original clay sculpture (above) and wax model ready for casting below
Autumn 2020
Thanks to Mel for sending these photos of a Flight of Doves (70 in total) installed in their fantastic setting in Devon.
A Brisk Walk (cold cast iron – woman’s height is 35cm) has been selected by the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists for their annual Prize Exhibition.
This exhibition runs from 8 October to 21 November 2020 in their gallery in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham.
A Brisk Walk 
School will be on display at the Royal Society of Marine Artist’s Annual Exhibition 2020 at the Mall Galleries London from 30 September to 10 October 2020.
School (100 x 100 cm including board)
Summer 2020
The Mall Galleries, London currently have online their Award Winning Artists Exhibition 2019 – 2020. Each artist has won a prestigious prize or award at an annual exhibition by the Federation of British Artists within the last twelve months, since May 2019. Simon has two pieces of work in the exhibition; Coxless Four and Lets Dance.
http://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/buy-art
Coxless Four
Lets Dance
Spring 2020
So pleased to see that Simon’s little people are being kept safe during the Covid-19 pandemic.
With thanks to Claire Sutton (Claire Sutton Images) for this photo.
Simon will have work for sale in the Art for Cure 2020 ‘ Big 100 Artists Exhibition’. This exhibition raises money for the care and cure of breast cancer and this year is online. From 6pm on 7 May until 31 May www.artforcure.org.uk
A selection of work from some of the supporting artists.
Early Spring 2020
Unfortunately, due to the Covid 19 situation many exhibitions and shows have been postponed or cancelled. We will endeavour to keep our ‘Where Simon will be exhibiting his work in 2020’ page updated. Meanwhile work continues back in the studio where Simon has time to produce new pieces. We are very happy during this time to answer any enquiries or to receive new commissions. We wish all of our friends and clients all the very best during this unsettling time.
Winter 2020
A Day at the Races has been selected for display at the Royal Society of British Artists 303rd Annual Exhibition running from 20 – 29 February 2020 at the Mall Galleries, The Mall, London.
Autumn 2019
One Man and His Dog Savill Garden, Windsor. 25 Sept – 24 Nov 2019.
Summer 2019
Delighted to find that A Day at the Seaside received the Sea Pictures Gallery Award. This work was exhibited at the Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition 2019.
RHS Wisley. Surrey Sculptors Sculpture Trail 17 Aug – 22 Sept 2019
‘Man’s Best Friend’ … also featured on the RHS poster!
The Spring season is hotting up! Simon has been exhibiting in several different venues.
The Surrey Hills Sculpture Garden Exhibition. Hop Picking Family and The Kiss were included in the sculpture trail.
At Shaw House, Newbury in the Altered States Open Air Sculpture Exhibition (until 27 May) Sorting Out The Economy was exhibited.
Borde Hill Gardens in West Sussex are beautiful! Situated just north of Haywards Heath they have their Sculpture Exhibition running until 30 September.
Love Birds have found themselves in a fabulous location for the next 5 months!
Summer/Autumn 2018
The Biscuit Factory in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne have included several pieces of Simon’s work in their Winter Exhibition. The three pieces on display here are Black Stripe I, Yin and Yang and Arc.
‘Love Birds’, bronze resin in the annual sculpture trail at RHS Wisley 18 August – 23 September 2018.
‘Long Mynd’ at Kiftsgate Court in the Cotswolds from 4 – 22 August 2018
‘Victorian Kitchen Garden’ at RHS Hyde Hall, Essex.
Spring 2018
Simon was recently elected as an Associate of the RBSA (Royal Birmingham Society of Artists)
The RHS Malvern Spring Festival has been a very busy 4 days! This year, in addition to the usual stand with the Worcestershire Guild in the Wye Hall, Simon has had work on display in one of the show gardens. Olivia Kirk’s ‘The Collectors Garden’ was designed to celebrate the re-developed Royal Porcelain Works in Worcester. The garden was awarded a Silver Gilt medal by the RHS. Simon’s pottery workers seek to reflect the hard work, technical ability, artistry and camaraderie within the group which contributed to the success of Royal Worcester.
‘Hook, Line and Sinker : A Sustainable Catch’ was a finalist at the ‘Wildlife Artist of the Year’ exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London at the beginning of May.
Early Spring 2018
Plans are well underway for a wealth of shows and exhibitions in 2018. Currently work is on show at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists and at the Craft and Design Centre in Leeds in their Monochrome – Surface Exhibition.
Craft and Design Centre, Leeds.
AppArt at Prior’s Field, Godalming, Surrey begins on 30 March (until 14 April).
‘In Flight’
Simon will have work in a show garden at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival this year. Olivia Kirk (a Chelsea gold medal winning garden designer) has designed a garden celebrating the developments at the Royal Worcester porcelain factory site, based on the Great Exhibition of 1851. The garden will include Simon’s ‘Royal Worcester pottery workers’.
Later in the year (July through to December) at Scotney Castle in Kent which is owned by the National Trust, ‘Hop Pickers’ will be Simon’s most ambitious work to date. An installation comprising 33 hop pickers will help to celebrate the tradition of hop picking in the area (where there is still a hop picking farm). The work will be sited on a plinth recently vacated by a Henry Moore sculpture!
Autumn 2017
‘Birders’ A new series of sculptures first seen at the Malvern Autumn Show and also exhibited at ‘Art in Clay’ at The Maltings in Farnham, Surrey 18/19 November 2017.
These figures are designed to sit individually or in groups, on plinths or shelves either inside or outside.
Kiftsgate Court near Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire hosted the Oxford Sculptors Group event ‘Sculpture at Kiftsgate’ from 19 August until 6 September 2017. Simon had one piece ‘Wenlock Edge’ on display.
‘Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design’ at Thirlestaine Long Gallery, Cheltenham 19 – 28 August 2017. This annual exhibition is primarily an exhibition of contemporary bespoke designer-maker furniture but also included selected works from leading artisans in disciplines such as sculpture. Simon had several indoor wall mounted sculptures and two outdoor pieces.
‘Talking Cobblers’ was part of the Surrey Sculpture Society’s Sculpture Trail at RHS Wisley from 19 August – 24 September 2017. For the first time the line up included a dog!
‘Second City Bragging Rights’ was exhibited at the RBSA’s ‘Metropolis’ Exhibition in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham between 24 August – 30 September 2017.
‘Fight, Protect, Engage’ was a finalist at the Wildlife Artist of the Year Exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London which ran from 28 June – 2 July 2017.
‘Sorting Out The Economy’ was exhibited at the Surrey Hills Sculpture Garden, Birtley Estate, near Guildford between 30 April – 13 May 2017.
‘A Snog in the Garden’ is currently on show at RHS Hyde Hall near Chelmsford until Sunday 30 July 2017.
‘Long Wait for the 147A’ was exhibited at the Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) Annual Exhibition 2017 at the Mall Galleries in London. The exhibition ran from Wednesday 22 March until Saturday 1 April.
Details from two of the panels from ‘Long Wait for the 147A’
Simon’s two pieces ‘Low Tide, Haslar Creek, Gosport I’ and ‘Low Tide, Haslar Creek, Gosport II’ were selected for the Royal Society of Marine Artists Exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London between Wednesday 28 September and Saturday 8 October 2016.
Simon’s frieze ‘Migration, Pure Theatre’ was selected for the ‘Wildlife Artist of the Year 2016’ exhibition which was held at The Mall Galleries, London between 27 June and 2 July 2016. The piece was awarded a ‘highly commended’ rating by the judges.
Simon also had an artwork selected for the Wildlife Artist of The Year 2015 exhibition.
In 2014 his stoneware relief, framed in oak ‘The Age of Enlightenment’ was hung at the Embankment Gallery, Somerset House, London in the exhibition of the National Open Art Competition 2014.
In 2014 Simon had two works exhibited at the annual exhibition of the Royal Society of Marine Artists at The Mall Galleries, London. He had a composition exhibited at the same gallery in the annual exhibition of the Society of Wildlife Artists.
Simon at the Royal Academy of Arts Ludlow Races
In 2012 his stoneware relief ‘Ludlow Races’ was hung at the Summer Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts in Piccadilly, London.