Based in rural North Wiltshire, Simone Dawood paints the surrounding landscape from her studio overlooking farmland a stone’s throw from the Ridgeway and the ancient North Wessex Chalk Downs.

Originally from London, she studied at Heatherley School of Fine Art and the London Drawing School, a frequent visitor to the area she moved full time to Wiltshire over 25 years ago. Her work reflects a close familiarity with the landscape and the shifting light, informed by many miles of walking and revisiting favourite sites. Hill Forts, Sarsen Stones and the ubiquitous White Horse Figures.

The materials and process of making are integral to her practice. She sketches first en plain air . Sketches are then worked up to larger scale charcoal drawings in the studio. Using an intense colour palette she builds layers of highly saturated oil paint on primed linen. Her compositions are often partially abstracted and playful. Superficially the simple graphic shapes mask a complex process of composition, balance and response to her subject. Colours give the impression of vibrating across the picture plane.

Simone has exhibited work at The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, Royal West of England Academy (Bristol), Museum and Art Swindon, Bath Society of Artists and her painting Cherhill was gifted to the permanent collection at Chippenham Museum in 2024.

As well as exhibiting and selling through local galleries and Marlborough Open Studios, she also undertakes commissions for private clients.

"The Alton Barnes White Horse is very familiar to me from my walks and this particular view onto the Horse figures feels very special to me. Framed by the folds of the surrounding landscape of Milk Hill. I have painted this view a few times and it feels different and yet familiar every time. I like to paint with oil on linen building up layer upon layer of increasingly thick paint on the slubby surface."