Paul Simmons (XX) - Wet Paint

This painting comes from the British artist Paul Simmons. Simmons is known for his vibrant watercolor and oil paintings, which often capture street scenes, cafés, and landscapes worldwide. His style is often characterized by a distinctive light mood, presenting everyday moments in a fresh light.

Some interesting facts about his work:
International success: His works have been published worldwide as art prints, including by “The Art Group” and in IKEA’s print collection.
Best-known works: His painting “Café Provence,” which appeared at IKEA in 1993, sold over 750,000 copies and is considered one of his most commercially successful pieces.
Background: He studied at the St. Martin’s School of Art in London and has worked professionally as an illustrator and painter throughout his life.
The present painting shows a humorous scene with students on a park bench who ignored the “Wet Paint” sign (Freshly painted) in the trash can and now bear blue paint splashes on their clothing.

To confirm the authenticity of this work, I made personal contact with the artist Paul Simmons. Here is an excerpt from his email translated into English:

“Es ist Teil einer Serie, die ich in den 1980er-Jahren für eine deutsche Werbeagentur angefertigt habe. Damals war ich ein junger Künstler und Werbeillustrator. Es ging um Werbung für eine Drehtabakmarke namens Golden Gate. Die Aufgabe bestand darin, Gemälde im Stil von Norman Rockwell zu schaffen, die humorvolle Szenen darstellten, die vom Texter und Art Director der Agentur entworfen worden waren. Die Illustrationen erschienen hauptsächlich als ganzseitige Zeitschriftenanzeigen. Die Bereiche der Gemälde mit wenigen Details dienten dazu, Logos und Schriftzüge bereits in der Entwurfsphase einfügen zu können.”