Jack Simcock (1929 - 2012)
Jack Simcock was a British oil painter, born Biddulph in 1929, Staffordshire Moorlands. He attended The Burslem School of Art under R G Haggar. And was the only child of a Collier.
He went on to great acclaim in the 1960-70s working with the Piccadilly Gallery in London, producing dark oil paintings of the area in which he lived, the moorlands and hillsides of Biddulph and Mowcop. He later introduced figures and later moved into very colourful abstracts.
More recently in Nov 2023 his works have reached a heady auction prices to match gallery prices showing a great future for the works of Jack Simcock in the collectable art field. Barewall hosted the viewing and were instrumental alongside the auction house to help to promote and reach the art collectors interested in Jack's work. Read more about Jack Simcock auction success.
In his autobiography Simcock Mow Cop he talks about his life and inspirations and how he came to paint what he painted. This includes recognition in his early days of the contribution made by Arthur Berry who was instrumental in helping him to develop a style which would be of interest to the London Art scene and of Reginald Haggar who recognised his talent and ensured his submission and inclusion to the Staffordshire Society of Artists exhibitions held at the time, mostly made up of the art school lecturers while Haggar opened the door to a student Simcock and included the display of many of Simcock's painting over and above the allowed allocation. According to Simcock it can be taken from his writings that he may be hinting that this favouritism may have been why he was not given his diploma at the time, however it is very true that Simcock went on to develop a successful London and international art following leaving many of his paintings in public and private collections around the world.
Simcock died in 2012 the evening before he was about to show in an exhibition titled The Boys at The Chancellors Gallery at Keele University, of his paintings which he had selected alongside Arthur Berry and Enos Lovatt.
