Meet Simon Rigg - Artist and Nature Lover

Nettie Hulme

I first met Simon about thirty years ago when I worked as his attendant carer for the early morning shift in his Castlemaine home. His gentle demeanour and compassionate, thoughtful approach to this crazy world, despite his daily hardships, impressed me and it was a delight to be with him. Working in a physically intimate space lends itself to intimate discussions when two like-minded souls connect.. Many sessions were spent discussing the woes of the world while we went about the work, making it a smooth transition into the day proper. Sweet memories of a time now long past but etched in my mind with fondness and gratitude. That was in the early nineties and Simon had been living with the challenges of quadriplegia for ten years. Quadriplegia, also known as tetraplegia, is the paralysis of the body from at least the shoulders down. In 1982 Simon was a busy young man. He was working as a landscape gardener for the local hospital and, at the same time, building a house for his young family that included three children under the age of five, when he fell off the roof and broke his neck. And just like that, in a few seconds, his life was changed and there was no going back to what was before.

Simon learnt to paint by holding the brush with his mouth during his rehabilitation at the Austin Hospital, searching for a way to distract himself from the frustrations foisted upon him by his change in fortune. It was something to take his mind ‘out of himself’ that at the same time provided a means of emotional expression. Art has been a saving grace and Simon joined the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists finding a community of support which has been life enriching. Simon had been inspired by meeting Bill Mooney who had taken up painting by mouth after a diving accident aged 16 years. Here was a man living in his own home and able to support his family through his art. A meaningful and useful life despite the physical disadvantages. The MFPA offers practical and financial support to student members in the form of a stipend scholarship for art supplies and tuition, as well as the opportunity to sell their work. Once an artist is a full member they receive a salary for life, even if they are not able to continue painting Fast forward several decades and Simon has exhibited all over Australia and entered the Archibald Prize.

“That was two years ago. It didn’t get in or anything but you’ve got to have a go at things like that,” he says. Which is a typical statement from this man who has seemingly limitless resilience and forbearance to deal with the unending trials and tribulations associated with living with quadriplegia. I asked Simon what gets him through the hard times. “Nature is my god. I get outside as much as I can, even if it is just here in the backyard of my Warrnambool home, I can find solace in all types of weather. I meditate in my own way. Keeping away from the human rat race as much as I can, breathing in and feeling a part of the natural world is what keeps me sane. Of course painting is very important to me but I can’t do as much as I would like to at the moment because my spine is collapsing and I can’t move my neck as I need to. But I have a lot of love in my life, a lot of love. I really feel this love all around me. With my family, friends and a special sweetheart, I feel truly blessed.” You can view and purchase Simon’s art here: https://mfpa.com.au/product-tag/simon-rigg/