Tributes to 'gentle and brilliant' Leamington artist Simon Lewty whose work was known worldwide

Described as "gentle and brilliant", those who knew Simon Lewty have paid tribute to him as both an artist and a person.

Simon was born in 1941 and grew up in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham before moving to live in Leamington Spa for the rest of his life. After a year of being unwell, he died peacefully and was well cared for at Kenilworth Grange Nursing Home on October 21 aged 80.

His work is held in many collections including the Leamington Spa Art Gallery and Museum, The British Museum, The Victoria & Albert Museum, The Arts Council of Great Britain, the Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Leeds museums and art galleries and in the USA, the Ruth and Marvin Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry, the largest of its kind, now housed by the University of Iowa.

His art has appeared in catalogues and several publications, notably his monograph, “Simon Lewty: The Self as a Stranger”, 2010,(Black Dog Publishing, with Art First)

The son of prolific and successful Mills & Boon novelist Marjorie Lewty, Simon studied at The Mid-Warwickshire School of Art between 1957 and 1960 and from 1961 to 1963 at Hornsey College of Art.

He went on to lecture at Mid-Warwickshire College which is where he met his friend Fay Weighell who attended his evening talks on art history as a part-time student.

Mrs Weighell, 93, who lives in Leamington, said: "He didn't drive so I would give him a lift to and from some of the classes he held.

"He was such a nice man - I remember once he gave me and a couple of other ladies who were on the course a firm but friendly ticking off when we started giggling during a slideshow of art he was showing us.

"He told us that all art was worthy of appreciation and understanding and that all artists are ahead of their time.

"We stayed in touch over the years - I just wish I had bought some of his work."

Simon's large drawings often integrated text, images and even maps.

One art blogger called Eirene, who attended his The SIGNificance of Writing exhibition in Leamington in 2016, said his works "create a dream-like reality which recall forgotten worlds and explore the inevitability of the passing of time."

She added: "His scripts are all woven into what he describes as 'a calligraphic skin', as echoes of inscribed speech.

"He describes his work as 'automatic, spontaneous' and promotes drawing as a form of 'primary visual thinking', with 'no planned final outcome'."

Much information about Simon's work and his life can be found on his London gallery’s website Art First.

Clare Cooper, has been Simon's gallerist and friend for some 30 years.

She said he was a very private man whose existence was "quite monastic” though he also had close, lasting friendships.

He would often retreat to his family's holiday home in Swanage, Dorset, where he had a studio and would take inspiration from being near the sea.

Clare said: "He dedicated his life to his art, to writing, drawing, reading, to pursuing the mysteries of dreams and the intangible, poetic passing of time.

"He leaves a rare legacy and will be sorely missed by friends and his fellow artists, for he was much loved and highly respected.

"Rest in Peace, dear, gentle, brilliant Simon."

Simon's funeral will take place at Oakley Wood Crematorium (South Chapel) on Friday November 19 at 1.30 pm.

For more information about him visit https://www.artfirst.co.uk/simon_lewty/biography.html