British artist Neil Simone creates stunning surreal paintings that fuse reality with fantasy. His expanding collection of trick-of-the-eye oil paintings depict his own canvases and easels merging with landscape scenes to make the illusion of paintings in paintings. Each artwork intends to captivate the viewer and lead them through “journeys into other worlds and also the deepest corners of creativity.”

Born in London in 1947, Simone studied graphic design in art school. While working in an exhibition throughout the ’60s, he visited Harrogate, England and discovered the beauty of North Yorkshire‘s landscape. This trip inspired him to begin painting, and four decades later the self-taught artist continues to evolve his distinctive style. “I paint the way I do because I see the planet as a measurement of shadows, shapes, contradictions and ever-changing fragile boundaries,” explains Simone.

Simone’s clever use of shadow creates an impressive–and frequently mind-boggling–feeling of depth. Similar to the Droste impact, when a picture repeatedly appears inside itself, Simone’s artwork often does the same. In some of the dream-like paintings, landscape scenes appear to spill from their canvases and merge into their surrounding painted surroundings. Other pieces feature strange, three-dimensional views of canvases wrapped in “rooms” with angled walls and flooring painted with landscapes scenes that are realistic. In 1 bit, waves wash over wooden floorboards, leading to a canvas, propped against a wall socket that merges into the landscape that it depicts.

Having recently celebrated 40 years as a specialist artist, Simone has exhibited in leading galleries all around the world. Now, he resides and works with his wife Heather, who is also a talented artist. The set sells their job on their website as original bits, signed prints, and giclée prints.