Œuvres d'art

Henry J. Simpkins (1906-1995)

Henry Simpkins was a native of Winnipeg Manitoba. Simpkins was educated at the Winnipeg School of Fine Art under Franz Johnston and L. L. FitzGerald. His apprenticeship as an artist in Winnipeg was that of an illustrator with the venerable firm of Brigden’s, a successful centre for graphic arts in western Canada. With opportunities limited in Winnipeg, but plentiful in most large cities, Simpkins left and worked as a commercial artist first in London and then in New York before making his return to Canada in 1929 where he worked as an illustrator for Grip and Batten in Montreal.

During his career, Simpkins exhibited regularly at the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts and at the Montreal Art Association for more than 20 years from 1931 At the AAM Simpkins won the Jessie Dow Prize for watercolour in 1932 and 1934. He was elected an associate member of the Royal Academy of Art in 1936 and became a full member in 1971. Simpkins exhibited with fine galleries notably our Galerie Walter Klinkhoff, Continental Gallery, Masters, Manuge, Wallack, and Kastel Gallery

Simpkins was particularly recognized for his watercolours, which he painted to great accomplishment. From my earliest days at Walter Klinkhoff Gallery, I had the pleasure of regularly visiting Henry, “Hank” as he was known to his friends, at his home in Dorval’s Pine Beach Boulevard where I would select watercolours from him to offer at our gallery. He was a kind soft spoken and modest gentleman.