Simpson collaborated with twelve bands and solo artists (including The Miserable Rich, Nizlopi, The Voluntary Butler Scheme, New Cassettes and Jose Vanders) to create a series of paintings that have an accompanying original soundtrack.
Each painting had a song written specifically for that piece, inspired by the scene and composed to complement the mood of the image.
In 2011 Simpson produced a series of portraits of famous musicians,[1] with subject including Brandon Flowers, Mark Ronson, Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend),[2] Maxi Jazz (Faithless), Paloma Faith, Matt Berninger (The National), Sam Beam (Iron & Wine) and Jamie Cullum.
His next major series of paintings was titled 'Across America' and depicted scenes from the artist's trip in the United States.
So far he has painted Paddy Considine, Warwick Davis, Michael Sheen, Olivia Colman, Eleanor Tomlinson[citation needed] and Matt Lucas for the series.