Simon Claridge

In his latest collection of limited edition diamond dust silkscreen prints, Simon Claridge has taken iconic images from the hallowed archives of legendary English photographer Terry O’Neill. In a career spanning more than half a century, O’Neill pioneered the iconic celebrity portrait and became famed for his instinct and ability to capture his subjects in candid, and sometimes unorthodox, poses and locations. Also an accomplished photographer himself, Claridge has long admired the work of Terry O’Neill. For that admiration now to be mutual is a source of great pride for him. Putting paid to the common misconception that one must never meet their heroes for fear of them not living up to expectations, Claridge describes the collaboration as “a meeting of minds” between two fellow artists, each with an appreciation for the other’s style.

In 2018, Claridge opened an art gallery on Southgate Street in Winchester. The gallery is in a contemporary style exhibiting and selling limited edition prints and original art by Simon Claridge himself as well as work selected by Claridge by a number of artists, including Louise Dear, Jana Nicole, Keith Stewart, Joe Simpson (artist), Mr Kuu, Chloe Vaux.

This art collection from Claridge launched at the Playboy Club in Mayfair on Thursday 14 January 2016. It follows Playboy’s diamond anniversary in 2013 and is a collection of six vintage magazine covers spanning three decades of the iconic magazine. Claridge was, again, given unprecedented access to the archives, finally selecting six images from around seven hundred covers, dating from 1967 to 1982, including Playboy Bunnies, Karen Christy and Kaya Christian. All of the images are painted in Claridge's signature monochrome style and are embellished with diamond dust.

Claridge is known for his black and white portraits of iconic women of stage and screen, though in 2015 Claridge exhibited a collection which also featured Elvis Presley and John Lennon. Typically employing the silkscreen technique, Claridge also frequently uses diamond dust, a form of glitter derived from diamonds.

Simon Claridge (born 1980 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom) is a British contemporary artist known primarily for his use of diamond dust in his paintings of iconic women of the 20th and 21st century, such as Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Debbie Harry. In 2002 Claridge graduated from the University of Reading with a degree in Fine Art before working at an art gallery in Windsor, United Kingdom whilst he developed his artistic practice. In 2005 Birmingham-based art publishers Washington Green Fine Art offered Claridge a contract, in which his limited edition artwork would be sold in galleries across the United Kingdom. Collectors of Claridge's work include musician Rod Stewart, celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe and Formula One racing driver David Coulthard.