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Nationally acclaimed Canadian plant fibre artist, Ralph Simpson has developed an innovative method of weaving and sculpting plant fibre into pleasing sculptural forms. He was raised in the fields and forests of New Brunswick along the Petitcodiac River and there developed a keen interest in plants. His personal motivation arises from a deep connection with nature and an implicit desire to promote environmental sustainability.
Currently, he resides in Fredericton working full time in his studio there. Ralph chooses to workwith locally sourced, sustainable materials and forages his own plant fibres using environmentally sustainable methods. Ralph holds an MSc. from UNB in Forest Research Biology, and a Diploma in Fine Craft from NBCCD. Informed by the sciences and his acquired technical expertise his intricately woven pieces reflect the fields and forests around him.
Ralph is an award-winning artist with grants from Arts NB and Canada Council, short-listed for the Salt Springs National art Prize (2021) and his work has been accessioned into New Brunswick’s permanent art collection (2023). He exhibits his work locally and internationally, attending residencies and giving workshops. The flora of New Brunswick informs his work and his creative process. His designs arise fromhis interpretations of nature and have evolved from traditional basketry, to vessels, and botanically themed sculptures. His process results in a contemporary manifestation of his connection with plants in their natural habitat. His work varies in form and style but what resonates in all his work is an underlying investigation into ways that plant materials can be used to spark interest and insight into the natural world.
You can find out more about Ralph’s work at www.plantfibreartist.com or find him on Instagram @ralphasimpson