Simonson Archives 1980-1982

In 1980 I was still drawing mostly from magazine photos, but I also began photographing more of my friends and working from those photos. My Sierra Drive neighbor Gerard modeled for me, as did my Filipino friend Jerry I., and a young guy named David whom I met at the beach. I was mostly painting in oils, and in a very realistic style, but already experimenting with a more Expressionistic approach. You can see its beginnings in “Skinny Boogieboarder”, and even more in the painting “Alika,” both appearing in this gallery.

A big change happened when I started dating a handsome local boy named Ben, since he became one of my very first models and, for a time, my muse.