Exhibit: Face Up: Pastel Portraits by Paul Simon

Discover the vibrant pastel portraits by the Wilmington artist Paul Simon in his solo exhibition at the Historic Odessa Foundation’s Visitor Center.  His timely subjects are depicted up close and personal to capture every facial detail. 

His inspiration comes from participants that he encounters through his longtime volunteer work at the Jewish Family Services (JFS) Village and the Refugee Integration Support Effort (RISE), both in Wilmington.  Simon wants to highlight individuals who often live isolated lives and draw attention to their needs and the positive impact of volunteering.  After retiring from a career as a biopharmaceuticals discovery researcher, Simon has devoted himself to creating a diversity of portraits that document many personalities.  The large expressive artworks are created by layering soft pastels on dark drawing paper.  Simon’s own immigrant experiences have given him an affinity with the subjects of his work and he appreciates the lasting impact that JFS has done to support the community.