Lynn Byrne Simon was first inspired to paint when she received a set of “Paint by Numbers” at age seven. Growing up in a small town near Philadelphia Pennsylvania, she was always encouraged to express her artistic interests by her family.

Simon attended classes at the Moore College of Art in Philadelphia; then, after moving to New York in 1970, she studied at The New School in Manhattan, while maintaining a professional career in human resources.

In 1976, her job transferred her to Los Angeles, where she continued her art studies at Santa Monica College. She became well known for her almost “humanized” still life oil paintings using soft tones and natural unforced highlights. Her oils evoke a sense of home and tradition.

Recently, Simon was introduced to the wonders of pastels and a whole new world of painting has opened for her. She decided to add some new challenges to her painting style and discovered the medium of pastels and how readily they translate into landscapes. In 2008, she began a new chapter in her artistic career.

After only a few years using pure pigment, Lynn has become a founding member and Past President of the Pastel Society of the Gold Coast. Lynn is a Signature Member of The Pastel of the West Coast as well as a member of the Degas Pastel Society in New Orleans and the Ventura County Pastel Artists. She has already won numerous awards for her pastels as well as found a new and growing market for her paintings.

Portraits are now her growing passion and Lynn has been exploring the beauty of the human face with her new works.