Gary Simon
Award-winning Illinois artist Gary W. Simon was born and raised in Belvidere, Illinois where he currently resides. Gary has over 50 years of art experience and specializes in pen & ink and watercolor drawings, but has also been commissioned for landscapes, murals, pet portraits, sculpture work, and automotive portraits. In his lifetime Gary has created thousands of pieces, both personal and commissioned. He is proud to launch his website and ready to create a one-of-a-kind piece for your home!
An outside artist, Gary studied art history and technique for two years and then quickly developed his own style. Soon after, Gary
began commissioning pieces for family and friends, and easily gained a base of clientele after attending many local art shows and fairs. Gary began to promote art in the community more, becoming involved as President of the Belvidere Historic Preservation Commission for several years. He is also a lifetime member of the Boone County Historical Museum, and is a current board member of the Boone County Arts Council, a position he has held for over twenty years. In addition to holding these titles, Gary and his late wife Sherry also restored the first-frame house in Belvidere, dating back to 1837 in the late 1980s. Gary then took on entrepreneurship by opening his dream, a combination café and gallery in the heart of Belvidere. After 11 years of success, Gary and Sherry closed the doors to the Brick and Gary focused on taking care of Sherry and doing his artwork full time. Currently, Gary remains a prominent community member, focusing on caring for the wildflowers and foliage in his home, working in his studio and spending time with his spunky granddaughter Emerson.
The Wildflower House
Hidden in plain sight at 410 E. Lincoln Ave. in Belvidere, Illinois is the Lampert Wildflower House, where Gary has resided since 1988. The home had been vacant for seventeen years prior to their purchase. The home needed extensive restoration, inside and out. Gary and Sherry consulted friends and experts and were able to completely restore the home within a year. They also restored the on-site summer kitchen, which was built a year before the house, in 1836. The yard was planted with over twenty-five varieties of
woodland wildflowers in the 1890s and is home to fifteen mature maple trees. All the original wildflowers remain today, and the lot is unchanged. In 2005 the home was added to the National Register of Historic Places and it is the only private home in Belvidere to hold that title. The yard was planted with over twenty-five varieties of woodland wildflowers in the 1890s and is home to fifteen mature maple trees. All the original wildflowers remain today, and the lot is unchanged. In 2005 the home was added to the National Register of Historic Places and it is the only private home in Belvidere to hold that title. The Wildflower House is a perfect backdrop for Gary’s artwork and business. The summer kitchen has been converted into his private art studio and serves as a creative space/ retreat. Additionally, the yard contains a beautiful screen house, wooden walkways, and a deck decorated with Gary’s sculptures, natural floral life, and creative touches. This house is a unique and perfect spot and we encourage you to view the photo gallery to see this space!
The Brick Café and Gallery
In 2006 Gary and Sherry were presented the opportunity to operate a café restaurant and art gallery in downtown Belvidere. It was important to them to feature local and award-winning artists in the community and provide a space for them to show off and sell their work. Effortlessly, it became a meeting place, safe haven, and retreat for everyone in the community. The café’s food was as unique as the artwork! They used local products and featured food that was
This was a creative outlet for Sherry especially, as she had operated a hotdog cart for many years prior, taught cooking classes, and owned her own catering business. Her favorite thing to make were her homemade soups, which changed daily. Over eleven years, the café showcased an outdoor alternative art fair, a women’s art show in May annually, book signings, highlighted black artists, art from local students, Special Education students, even boasted a Friday night open mic night and sporadic comedy shows and plays.
After 11 years, Gary and Sherry decided to retire from the restaurant business. With a sad farewell from hundreds of friends who had become family, they closed their doors in May 2017. The gallery hosted an incredible display of art and food. Enjoy the photo gallery to see this history frozen in time!
Snow Sculpting
In 1996 Gary Simon began his journey as head of a team that consistently competed in the Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition for over 15 years. The first year he was surprised to earn a 2nd place trophy. His greatest achievement over the years was winning first place in the year 2000 with the sculpture titled “Mother’s Day.” Most of the sculptures by the team over the years involved aspects of nature. Common themes were endangered species, natural elements, and wilderness scenes. These achievements allowed Gary and his team members to go to the National Competition in Lake Geneva over several years. Although they never won at Nationals, it was an amazing experience to work next to teams from all around the world! Gary enjoyed participating in the competitions through 2011 and remains interested in the art form of sculpting today. If you have a special sculpture project that you are interested in having Gary create, don’t hesitate to ask! Gary is also comfortable working with clay and metal sculpture.