SIMON BULL

Simon Bull was born in Bedfordshire, England, the second of four children. His father, Ian Bull, served as an officer in the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department of the British Army, leading to the family’s relocation across the globe, including postings in Guyana, Hong Kong, Germany, and Northern Ireland. Simon’s educational journey took him to boarding school in Yorkshire, first at Ripon Cathedral Choir School from 1965 to 1969, and later in Surrey, at the Royal Russell School from 1969 to 1976. In 1976, he embarked on a one-year Foundation course at Gloucestershire College of Art and Design before graduating in 1980 from Leeds Polytechnic with a BA (Hons) degree in Fine Art. Under the mentorship of Norman Webster and Norman Ackroyd RA, Simon specialized in printmaking and Fine Art.

His time at Leeds was characterized by his fascination with and exploration of master artists such as Henri Fantin-Latour, Jean-Baptiste-Simon Chardin, and Rembrandt; his dissertation focused on the watercolorist John Sell Cotman. In his graduating year, Simon exhibited his etching “Jackie” at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, and his works were acquired by Leeds City Art Gallery.