Leo Simoens

Leo (Leopold) Simoens (1924-2024) was a Manitoba-based printmaker, graphic designer, and artist known for his landscape etchings and watercolours. Born and raised in Bruxelles, Manitoba, Simoens spent most of his adult life in Winnipeg and graduated from the University of Manitoba School of Art with a BFA Honours in 1974.

Simoens worked primarily with intaglio printmaking processes, utilizing varied linework, aquatint, mezzotint, and hand colouring techniques. His work focused on landscape, meditation, and contemplation, with particular attention to what he described as "forgotten corners" of the landscape. He sought to create images that communicated "an aesthetic awareness of our places," drawing inspiration from the hills of his childhood in rural Manitoba.

In addition to his art practice, Simoens worked as a graphic designer and taught drawing and graphic design at Red River College in Winnipeg. He was a long-standing member of the Winnipeg arts community and recognized as one of Manitoba's accomplished printmakers. His work is held in numerous private, public, and corporate collections, including the National Film Board, Manitoba Arts Council Art Bank, Great West Life, and Culture Heritage & Tourism Manitoba.

Simoens was also a musician and spent considerable time at a log cabin he designed and built at Pinawa Bay, Manitoba. His connection to nature remained central to his artistic vision throughout his career. He passed away on December 5, 2024.