Considered as one of the leading Post-War and contemporary artists in the country, Simeon Stafford was encouraged by L.S Lowry to pursue the fine arts at age fourteen, having won a school award in art. Born in 1956, in the small northern town Duckinfield, Simeon Stafford creates paintings naïve in style that showcase every influence in his life. The worlds he paints are full of joy and humour, often featuring little characters resembling his family that reappear in all his work, such as Aunt Dot, who is always seen doing a handstand, and Trixie, the family Jack Russell, appearing as a dancing dog nearby. Following his graduation from Hyde College in 1974, Stafford has exhibited his work at a plethora of museums and galleries, including the Royal Acadamy in 2001. His paintings have also been offered at auctions, which depending on the size and medium, have garnered up to $11,666 in price. The results at auction tend to go over the estimate to varying degrees, but the ultimate sale prices in the primary market are increasing as his reputation grows. As well as this, the sell through rate for his paintings remains at 92%. Many high-profile figures have added Stafford’s sought-after pieces to their collection, including Queen Elizabeth II, actor Hugh Grant and Tony Blair. Much like his lifelong teacher L.S Lowry, Stafford’s art follows the crowded canvas, full of life and human interaction, however unlike his fellow impressionist, Simeon takes a brighter tone, like the day to Lowry’s night. Featuring scenes based on the Cornwall countryside, with seaside’s full of families and carnivals full of children, his paintings contrast with the grey industrial settings that both Stafford and Lowry grew up in that the latter depicts. Whilst a Lowry at auction may sell for as high as £5 million, as an emerging artist, investing in a Stafford piece demands much lower, but the output of investment as his success grows is projected to be great, not to mention will give your walls the joyful spirit in which his paintings possess.