ARTIST STATEMENT + BIOGRAPHY

These are indeed strange and troubled times. It is in this context that this statement has been prepared. It was a totally unexpected honor to have been chosen as the official Meadowlark Festival artist for 2020. The excitement was compounded by the prospect of a show at the Penticton Art Gallery. Sadly, both events have been cancelled. But not all is lost: Paul and McKaila to the rescue! I hope you enjoy this virtual show…

Some historical facts: At age of eight I drew a duck which was given prominence in the school magazine. This was a huge boost to the morale of a dyslectic underachiever. Thankfully over time I found ways to combat the dyslexia and an associated extremely poor short term memory. It is perhaps significant that my notes, used as aides to memory, included many colored designs, drawings, and graphs.

Whilst a Medical student at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, in the city of London, I would take a break from my studies on Sunday afternoons, walking from the city to the Tate Gallery, a round trip of approximately 7 miles. On the way I would drop into the many wonderful small galleries situated en route, I think that was the time when I became hooked on art! My professional life as a physician allowed little time for hobbies, but looking back I always seemed to have a significant project on the go and I did manage to attend some short courses involving drawing and painting.

It was after retirement that I really started to pot, sculpt, draw, and paint, this marked the beginning of the totally unexpected journey to which this virtual show is dedicated. As you will see, the vast majority of my artistic efforts are pure whimsical fun! There are, however, times when I have addressed the darker side of the human condition. I will try to explain some of the unusual recurring elements which characterize my art. Why the birds? See the image below… no further explanation required!

Why the sail boats? This is much more complicated. For generations, members of my mother’s family in Wales “went to sea.” My maternal grandfather was one of ten children who made it to adult life, in total, six boys and four girls. Of the six boys, four were master mariners, and two of the four girls married master mariners, making it a total of six sea captains in the one family. Over three generations it has been calculated that a staggering twenty seven family members were lost at sea. Their stories are recorded in detail in Welsh on flat stones in the cemetery of the small village of Aberarth. There are no bodies. Due to this terrible loss of life, those of my generation were strongly discouraged from “going to sea.”

My Maternal grandfather, Captain David Evans, died whilst Captain of the four masted barque the “Speedonia,” one of, if not the largest, sailing ship in the world at that time. She was being refitted in Durban, South Africa. He was 61 years old. His daughter, my mother, first circumnavigated the world aboard the four masted barque, the “Howth,” at age eight and later, at age sixteen, aboard the “Vimeria,” another four masted barque. Both ships were captained by her father. I have always loved sailing, feeling the surging power of the wind, using that power to maximize speed whilst staying safe. Perhaps this represents a small tribute to those in the family who sailed the world’s oceans and those who were lost at sea.

Some additional explanatory notes relating to this show: Several years back there was a carefully crafted show at the gallery. A story, “The six stones” was read; periodically musicians would enter playing a variety of instruments. If my memory is correct, there were a couple of large screens. I and other artists would make quick drawings which were then projected onto the screens. Within this show are examples of my efforts that evening.

Music and musicians: I frequently enjoy the challenges involved in drawing musicians actively playing their instruments. On one occasion a jazz group was playing in a coffee shop. A guy with a camera came up to check out my efforts. My comment: “I move my fingers to the music, so if I do a lousy drawing I can blame the musicians!” Unbeknownst to me, the guy had taken my photo which together with my quote, appeared in the Penticton Herald the following day. I really miss First Fridays at the Penticton Art Gallery, but there are always other opportunities.

Beyond Canada, there are collectors of my art in the England, Wales, Ireland, France, Italy, Holland, Australia, and India. I have participated in many group shows over the years with fellow artists and potters. I have provided handmade soup bowls for the Penticton Art Gallery’s annual Soup Bowls Project, as well as original artwork for the Under 500 Exhibition + Sale and the annual Art Auction. Of special note, there have been three solo shows in the Okanagan that have been dedicated to my drawings, paintings, pottery, and sculptures at the Summerland Art Gallery, Picture This Gallery, and Mondo Creations.

When I start a drawing I have no idea as to what is about to happen, it’s an exciting life.

Life as a Physician

I graduated from St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical School in 1959. Thereafter my professional life spanned three continents: Europe, Africa (Zambia and Northern Botswana), and North America (Saskatchewan and British Columbia). Although the majority of my time as a physician was directed at obstetrics and gynecology, my training was broad, enabling me to deal with the wide range of challenges presenting in Africa.

Publications as a Physician

M.O. Sime, “A detailed review of patients delivered in the obstetric department at the Livingstone General Hospital in 1969.” National Council for Scientific Research, Zambia, 1970.

This was a mammoth undertaking, later precipitating an offer by the University of Aberdeen to join the group, funded by the World Health Organization and the Bill Gates Foundation, to find ways to more accurately determine maternal mortality rates around the world.

M.O. Sime, B. Ho Yuen, S.M. Pride, “Induction of ovulation with Pulsatile Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) in Clomiphene Resistant Infertile Women.” SOGC Vancouver, 1983.

M.O. Sime, B. Ho Yuen, S.M. Pride, “Successful Induction of Ovulation and Conception with Pulsatile Intravenous Administration of Human Menopausal Gonadotrophin (HMG) in Anovulatory Infertile Women Resistant to Clomiphene and Pulsatile Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone Therapy.” SOGC Vancouver, 1983.

These works were completed whilst taking a sabbatical as a research fellow at the Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, University of British Columbia.

M.O. Sime, B. Ho Yuen, S.M. Pride, “Prolactin Today.” Review published in the SOGC Bulletin, November 1984.

Whilst working as a research fellow at the University of British Columbia, I was an active member of the team that achieved Canada’s first successful in vitro baby.

How many babies have I delivered?

I have no idea, even to the nearest thousand! However, I have been involved with and responsible for the management of somewhere between 10 to 12 thousand pregnancies in three continents over 40 years!