Simon Burdge

14/10/2026

A Night Out opens on two figures who seem to belong to entirely different worlds.
The woman is dressed for the occasion. Her hat, tailored jacket, and long skirt give her a composed, elegant presence, while the smart handbag at her side completes the impression that thought and care went into the evening. She looks ready for something special.
Her companion is less encouraging. Whether seen as a man, an African figurine or something poised between the two, he looks into the distance with wide, fixed eyes. He seems unaware of the woman beside him, the skateboarder behind him and perhaps the evening itself.
Around them, the city has other plans. A graffiti-covered wall cuts diagonally through the composition, becoming an obstacle for a skateboarder caught mid-action. Dark space, scattered lights, geometric fragments and rough painted marks create a setting that feels energetic but unstable. Sophistication meets street culture; stillness meets movement; expectation meets complete distraction.
The scene captures the beginning of an evening that will not go well. Nothing disastrous has happened yet, but the mismatched pair, the distracted companion and the restless background suggest trouble ahead. The humour comes from that suspended moment: she has made an effort, he apparently hasn't, and the night is already heading in another direction.
Constructed from collage and acrylic gouache, the work brings unrelated images together to suggest a story without fixing its conclusion. Viewers can decide where the couple is going, what has brought them together and how quickly she will regret agreeing to the date.
Title: A Night Out
Completed: May 2026
Medium: Collage and acrylic gouache paint
Substrate: Brown paper
Unframed image dimensions: 240 x 340 mm
Framed dimensions: 400 x 500 mm
Presentation: Black frame

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https://www.simonburdge.co.uk/product-page/a-night-out-painting-collage

30/08/2026

Meet Bull Fighter - an abstract face caught in the tension of performance, courage, and confrontation. The small red matador's hat hints at spectacle, while the long black hair and clenched teeth suggest the private intensity behind the public moment. I wanted this piece to feel bold, slightly humorous, and full of character, with strong shapes and colour doing the emotional work.

This painting is part of a growing collection of faces that will be appearing on my social media and website over the next few weeks. Each one carries its own mood, rhythm, and personality, and this one enters the ring first.

Title: Bull Fighter
Dimensions: 227 mm x 305 mm
Medium: Acrylic Gouache
Year: 2026
Substrate: 320 gsm white card
Presentation: Framed in a black frame

https://www.simonburdge.co.uk/contact

24/08/2026

New on the blog: “Doris is Drunk Again” — a postcard-sized collage that turns a quiet seaside scene into a tiny invented drama. Using magazine and newspaper cuttings I explore how a single retitled image can rewrite a story: is Doris asleep, embarrassed or the subject of a private joke? Read the short piece and see the artwork up close. What story do you see in the picture? Share your take in the comments. Read more: https://wix.to/ttaWXWn 🌊🖼️

At first glance, this is a perfectly respectable seaside scene. Three teenage girls sit together on a rock, looking out across the water. Their dresses belong to another era; the sky is bright, and everything appears calm and wholesome.Then you notice that one of the girls seems to be asleep.There i...

23/08/2026

A peaceful seaside scene: three teenage girls sit on a rock overlooking the water. One has apparently drifted off, while the other two seem to be exchanging confidences. There is absolutely no evidence that drink is involved, but the phrase "Doris is drunk again" arrived in my mind and refused to leave.

The joke lies in the collision between the respectable appearance of these young ladies and the wonderfully improper story imposed upon them. Made from magazine and newspaper cuttings, this postcard-sized collage turns an innocent vintage image into a miniature tale of gossip, friendship and questionable seaside behaviour.

https://www.simonburdge.co.uk/product-page/doris-is-drunk-again

09/08/2026

Cake Walk sets a simple scene and lets the mind wander. Five vertical bands structure the postcard: soft grey geometry, sunlit sand, saturated teal, and at the far right a parade of golden biscuits. In the middle lane, a solitary figure in a red jacket walks toward us—or, depending on your cravings, toward the biscuits. The
long shadow creates a compass needle that keeps the composition gently in motion.

I approached this piece with a spirit‑pen sensibility—clean edges, deliberate joins—so each panel reads like a held breath. The tonal steps between bands encourage a left‑to‑right read: quiet, warmer, cooler, finally culinary. It's playful, but it also tests how little information is needed to spark a narrative: one figure, one shadow, and a destination we all recognise.

Details:
Title: The Cake Walk
Dimensions: 105 × 148 mm
Medium: Spirit pens
Year: 2026
Substrate: 320 gsm white card

The shop is always open, and you can reach me by using the contact form on my website.
Web: https://www.simonburdge.co.uk/

02/08/2026

I started with a storm of red—broad, unruly swathes laid fast—then chased it with black spirit‑pen marks that ride the current like wind‑tossed debris. The two colours argue, overlap, and finally settle into a rhythm that feels equal parts forecast and graffiti. At 105 × 148 mm on 320 gsm white card, it's compact but tempestuous, the kind of postcard that turns pinboards into weather maps. Unframed for freedom: clip it, shelve it, or post it to someone who thrives on a good gust.

https://www.simonburdge.co.uk/product-page/red-wind

26/07/2026

This postcard began as a warm‑up and ended as a waltz. Working with acrylic gouache, I chased a pen‑and‑ink sensibility: crisp, calligraphic lines that decide the composition in real time. The palette is a trio—brown, yellow, red—each assigned a role. Brown is the principal dancer, sprung from a series of fast, elastic strokes that arc, pivot, and land with a satisfying dot. Yellow is the partner, laid in with broader vertical swathes that anchor the space and catch the light. Red brushes across the base like a stage line, a metronome you can almost hear.
Title: (Dance - Duet in Three Colours)
Dimensions: 105 × 148 mm
Medium: Acrylic Gouache
Year: 2026
Contact me: https://bit.ly/4dMfemx

12/07/2026

Meet “Mountain side with a red mist,” a small-but-mighty piece channelling the moment mountains exhale. The blue silhouette is edged in decisive black, while a blush of red lifts the sky like a held breath. Painted in PVA gouache on 320 gms white card with blue paper, it’s unframed, tactile, and ready to lean, prop, or frame your way. I’m interested in edges—between land and air, gesture and stillness—and how a few marks can hold a whole weather system. This postcard-sized work invites you closer: textures first, then the horizon slips in. Think of it as landscape distilled to its heartbeat.

14/06/2026

Pink and Blue Jeans is a handmade collage greeting card inspired by the colours and textures of modern fashion. A section of a pink leather jacket meets the rich blue tones of denim, accented by white and yellow ochre trim. By isolating these details, familiar clothing becomes an abstract arrangement of shapes, lines, and colour. Created from carefully selected found images, the collage invites viewers to look beyond the obvious and discover new relationships between materials and forms. The result is a contemporary, eye-catching design that blends style, creativity, and curiosity into a unique greeting card.

The shop is always open, and you can reach me by using the contact form on my website.
https://www.simonburdge.co.uk/contact

06/06/2026

Red Clouds Tonight is a handmade greeting card inspired by the simple magic of looking out to sea and imagining stories in the sky. An adult and a small child stand together on a promenade, watching a striking red cloud hanging above the horizon. The title suggests a gentle conversation between generations, a moment of wonder shared at the water's edge.
Created from collage and mixed-media elements, this card combines bold colour, texture, and atmosphere to create a scene that feels both familiar and dreamlike. Perfect for anyone who enjoys art, imagination, and thoughtful handmade cards.


art

The shop is always open, and you can reach me by using the contact form on my website.
https://bit.ly/4afViqC