Claude A Simard RCA

Claude A. Simard was born in Quebec City in 1943 and trained in visual communication at the Ontario College of Art, graduating in 1966. His early career in design included creating the enduring green leaf logo for Simons department stores before co-founding Communikart in 1973. In 1981, Simard was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, confirming his place among Canada’s leading artists.

Simard’s paintings are celebrated for their exuberant use of colour, structural clarity, and joyous spirit. A transformative trip to Holland in 1981 shifted his artistic focus, inspiring the luminous palettes and floral abundance that became his hallmark. His subjects range from lush gardens and still lifes to landscapes filled with vitality, reflecting his belief that “all that matters in a garden, as in a painting, is emotion.”

Over the course of his career, he held more than 38 solo exhibitions across Canada and abroad, with works entering major collections including the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, the Royal Bank of Canada, Bombardier, and Rideau Hall. For more than two decades, his artwork has been proudly represented by West End Gallery, where collectors continue to connect with his vibrant legacy.