Exuberance Exhibition Catalogue

Willma Simmons
ARTIST STATEMENT
Wilma Simmons’ work started with observing what is
around her - her local surroundings - her garden and her
neighbourhood. Most of her art work begins: “I walk, I
observe, I record ( memory, sketch, photograph), I reflect, I
discuss, I research and then I stitch”. Changes in her
environment correspond to changes in Wilma’s mood and
emotions. Not only does she like to stitch Nature’s varied
contrasts in colour and texture, she is sensitive to
changes within herself as she responds to daily
observations. Intuition tells us what research studies have
proven; Nature benefits our well-being. When deprived of
direct experiences with nature, it has been shown that
even watching a documentary about the world around us
can lower stress levels and evoke some degree of
calmness and relaxation. The more she stitches stitch her
surroundings, the more engaged she is in discovering and
researching the impact the environment has on human
beings.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Wilma Simmons has been very fortunate, in the past, to
have lived in many different places in New South Wales
and Queensland, as well as in Finland and Papua New
Guinea for study and humanitarian missions. She now lives
in Newcastle NSW. After early retiring from her previous
career as a high school principal in 2005, she decided on
a new direction in art. Although her formal training is in
contemporary clays and art doll sculpture, she began to
devote more time to textiles, and stitching, Wilma felt she
could never be classed as an embroiderer. She thinks she
has the infamous award of being the person who took the
longest time ever to complete the Creative Embroidery
Course with the Embroiderers Guild of NSW - about 23
years!