Simon Burdge

Artist, Designer and Printmaker

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Red Lips

Red Lips is a handmade collage greeting card built around a carefully cropped section of a woman's face. We only see part of the image — the chin, lips, cheek, ear, and the lower edge of one eye — but the close-up creates a powerful sense of intimacy and mystery. The vivid red lipstick immediately draws attention, balanced by the reflective silver earring and soft neutral tones surrounding it.

What interests me about collage is how removing context changes the meaning of an image. A magazine photograph designed for one purpose becomes something entirely different when reduced to fragments and rearranged. In this piece, the cropped composition encourages the viewer to focus on texture, colour, and shape rather than identity. The result feels cinematic, contemporary, and slightly enigmatic.

The clean white border frames the image almost like a gallery piece, allowing the bold colours and minimal composition to stand out. Although simple at first glance, the card invites closer attention — the subtle skin textures, the sharp edge of the cut paper, and the contrast between glamour and abstraction all become part of the experience.

Like all my collage cards, Red Lips is handmade and one of a kind, created using found imagery and an intuitive process of selection and arrangement. It works as both a greeting card and a miniature artwork that can be displayed long after it is received.

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Two People in a Boat

There is something timeless about two figures travelling together across water. Two People in a Boat is a handmade greeting card inspired by movement, companionship, and the feeling of heading towards something unknown. The image captures two people travelling quickly in a small boat, their faces fixed forward, focused on the horizon ahead. Wind moves through their hair, birds circle above, and the landscape blurs into a colour and energy.

This card began as an intuitive drawing using ink, watercolour, and layered marks. Loose expressive lines create the sensation of speed and atmosphere, while the bold green shape of the boat grounds the composition. The combination of sketch-like movement and painterly textures gives the piece a spontaneous and emotional quality.

I enjoy creating cards that feel alive rather than overly polished. Each mark remains visible, keeping the energy of the drawing process present in the final artwork. The card balances abstraction with storytelling, leaving space for the viewer to imagine where the travellers are going and what they are searching for.

This handmade greeting card works beautifully for many occasions: birthdays, friendship, encouragement, travel lovers, anniversaries, or simply sending a thoughtful handwritten message. It also works as a small collectable artwork that can be framed or displayed after use.

The expressive style draws inspiration from sketchbooks, coastal journeys, and the unpredictable movement of weather and water. I wanted the artwork to feel immediate and emotional — almost like a fleeting memory captured in paint and ink.

Printed on quality card stock, Two People in a Boat combines contemporary illustration with the character of original handmade art. The square format gives the image room to breathe while keeping the composition intimate and personal.

Whether you are drawn to expressive drawing, abstract figurative art, or unique independent design, this card offers something distinctive and full of movement.

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The Ice Flow

My handmade collage greeting cards combine recycled newspapers and magazine clippings with original drawings, paint, chalk, and oil pastel to create one-of-a-kind mixed-media pieces. Each Card reflects an intuitive, creative process and a commitment to transforming discarded materials into meaningful, handmade art.

Explore more at:

Simon Burdge | Artist | Printmaker

A gallery of Paintings and Drawings, and Greeting Cards from Simon Burdge. Artist and printmaker.

[simonburdge]

Life drawing is where I always return.

This piece of Jane captures not only the form but also the rhythm and energy of being present in the life room.

Three years in art school's life room taught me to look, to notice the subtle shift of weight or gesture—and that practice continues to shape how I draw today.

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Title: Sunflower on a Blue Background

The sunflower paintings by Vincent van Gogh are among the most iconic images of the twentieth century. I've often seen them when I visit London. My Sunflower on a Blue Background picture is not a copy; replicating an artist's painting is the best way to understand the subject matter as the original artist might have seen it. I'm sharing my offering: an A4 gouache on paper, signed and dated 2024.

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Here is a photograph from last weekend. I was drawing in my local church. I took a few pictures at he same time. An atmospheric black and white photograph of a historic churchyard. Rows of gravestones stand quietly beneath tall trees, where dappled sunlight filters through the branches, casting shadows across the grass. The scene evokes a sense of peace, reflection, and timeless connection to the past.

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Part of my creative process is photographing subjects — sometimes while I’m drawing them, other times because they catch my eye. This zebra from a carousel at the fun fair is pure joy in black and white.

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Title: A Lamp on a Table A pencil drawing on paper in my sketchbook, capturing a simple scene. The lamp was blue, and the side cupboard was dark oak, creating a nice contrast in the composition.

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A Tree by Worthing Station – A Sketch in Transit

Finding Beauty in the In-Between Trains

While waiting for a train to Brighton, I found myself outside—or maybe on the platform—at Worthing Station. In front of me stood a tree. With a few minutes to spare, I reached for a black felt-tip pen and let the moment take over. It wasn't planned, polished, or part of any series—just a sketch done quickly, instinctively, and without fuss. There might've even been a pint involved, courtesy of a public house across the road.

What makes this drawing special for me is its simplicity. It reminds me that drawing isn't always about grand plans or hours of effort. It can be about capturing something quickly, without judgment. And strangely, those sketches—made in passing—often stay with you the longest.

This black-ink sketch evokes the tree studies by John Ruskin in the 19th century. Ruskin, too, believed in drawing as a means of seeing. While his work was often more detailed and academic, his quick tree studies—especially from travels—show a similar urge: to capture the essence of something fleeting, a form before it vanishes into memory.

Like Ruskin's sketches, mine also were not meant to be "finished." Just felt. And that's why I still like it.

Please get in touch with Simon Burdge using my email address or the DM in my profile.

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Newport Cathedral, South Wales: This watercolour on paper depicts Newport Cathedral—also known as St Woolos Cathedral—perched peacefully atop Stow Hill. Painted a few years ago, I recall the steep climb to reach it (definitely deserved a rest at the top!). The contrast between the towering stone architecture and the softness of the surrounding landscape inspired this work. There’s a calming stillness in this scene, where nature and heritage coexist in gentle harmony.

Brief History of the Cathedral: Newport Cathedral, also known as St Woolos Cathedral, dates back to the 5th or 6th century and is believed to have been founded by St Gwynllyw (Woolos the Warrior), a local Welsh king who later became a saint. The church has evolved over the centuries, from a humble early Christian site to a fortified Norman building and later underwent a Victorian restoration. In 1949, it was officially designated as a cathedral. Today, it remains one of the most historically significant churches in Wales and continues to serve the local community.

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"What if?" has always been a doorway for me. This collage began life in a 2018 A4 diary—unused, until one afternoon when I started piecing together thoughts with shapes and colour. Rust-toned squares, soft grey curves, and bold black gestures weave like a necklace along a leather cord. This is play, this is pause, this is process

Please get in touch with Simon Burdge using my email address or the DM in my profile.

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Title: Guardian of the Amulet Sketched at the British Museum, this drawing was inspired by an amethyst carving that seemed to waver between a figure holding a sword and clasping its own hands. The deep blues and angular strokes reminded me of a hard, ancient sky—something sacred and protective. In ancient times, an amulet like this may have been worn for protection, buried with the dead, or kept close as a symbol of strength. Today, we might see it as a reminder—a spiritual anchor, or a quiet protector in our pockets or homes.

Please contact Simon Burdge using my email address or the DM in my profile. The shop is also visible on my profile. Web: https://www.simonburdge.co.uk/

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This collage, made from torn paper from magazines, is one of my favourite processes. College allows me to explore new ideas, challenge my perspective, and discover fresh ways of seeing the world. It’s a dynamic medium for experimentation, and I’m excited to continue creating with it. You’ll see more of this in the future, as I dive deeper into the endless possibilities it offers.

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An abstract painting, loosely inspired by something I saw at the Tate. It began as a quick sketch and was filled in later. It doesn’t look much like the original, but that’s not the point. It took on a life of its own. Gouache on paper

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A quick sketch from a train window, capturing the moment someone ran to catch a train on the opposite platform. It’s stylized, but I added colour later. The energy of that fleeting moment has always stuck with me.

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A quick life drawing, capturing the figure as she looks over her shoulder. I filled in the background and flesh tones later. I’ve written "frozen moment of action; the critical moment" on the piece, which might have been the theme during that life drawing session.

Please get in touch with Simon Burdge using my email address or the "learn more" button below. The shop is always open, and use the contact form on my website.

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Two Feet in bed

A chalk drawing on paper or possibly even oil pastel in four colours arranged in a row, interrupted perhaps by teeth or feet, subject unknown. This piece was created using either chalk or oil pastel on paper, showcasing four bold colours arranged in a row, interspersed with shapes that might resemble teeth or feet. The subject remains open to interpretation.