MA Fine Art, BA (Hons) Fine Art in Context, PGCTHE, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Simon is primarily a photographic artist and tutor, but also sees himself as naturalist and ecologist, and academically combines his art and science.

He has worked for Aberystwyth University since 2012 as a wildlife photography and natural history tutor. He also has experience teaching in the Further Education sector working for WEA Cymru and later Addysg Oedolion Cymru / Adult Learning Wales. In October 2018 he completed a MA in Fine Art at the School of Art in Aberystwyth and has since progressed onto a full-time PhD in Fine Art Photography.

His PhD research looks at how historical artefacts and characters can be reimagined through the medium of fine art photography. Specifically, this research and art has focused on the social photography and story of the 19th century Welsh photographer John Thomas of Cellan (1838 to 1905) and his journeys through Wales. As part of this project Simon retraced Thomas’s footsteps walking over 120 miles across Wales, photographing the entire journey – the body of work has gone on to form the basis a contemporary photographic documentary project, and he hopes to use this methodology on future similar projects.

Simon also writes and researches on a range of linked topics that include photographic theory, digital theory, art history, ecology, conservation, social migration, and the history of natural history.