Hello, I’m Cécile (cé) Simonis.
I make books and limited edition prints, I write and illustrate stories.
I share a riso and screenprinting printing studio with C.A.Hiley, Riso des bois, from where I create all my work. We take part in fairs and events across Europe.
You can join my Patreon, check out my shop, join my mailing list, look at my CV, spy on my instagram, browse my archive
email me at cesimonisillustration@gmail.com
I make books and limited edition prints, I write and illustrate stories.
I share a riso and screenprinting printing studio with C.A.Hiley, Riso des bois, from where I create all my work. We take part in fairs and events across Europe.
You can join my Patreon, check out my shop, join my mailing list, look at my CV, spy on my instagram, browse my archive
email me at cesimonisillustration@gmail.com
CV
Residencies
Artist in residece at Camera etc, 2D animation studio in Liège, Belgium, 2025
Artist in Residence in the Vesteraalen archipelago in Norway (AirV Artist in Residence Vesteraalen, Oksnes) in June and October 2022
Artist in residence at Planet labs, a multinational society for satellite imaging. August to October 2021
Artist in residence at Inspace with the Institute for Design Informatics, the University of Edinburgh, as part of the Space and Satellites Artist Residency programme. Funded by DDI (Data-Driven Innovation) and supported by EFI (Edinburgh Futures Institute). May-July 2020
Exhibitions
(solo and duo shows in bold)
2025
The Northern Festival of illustration, Hartlepool, UK
Riso des bois (C.A.Hiley and C.Simonis) exhibition at Café Joli, Liège, Belgium
Riso des bois (C.A.Hiley and C.Simonis) exhibition at the Ferrières library (Xhoris), Belgium
2024
Inked up, Printmaking in Scotland, Edinburgh City Art Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
AiRV grande finale exhibition for Bo2024 European Capital of Culture, Museum Nord, Norway
‘Prints from the country’, Riso des Bois exhibition (with C.A.Hiley) at Druckwerk Lustenau, Austria
‘Riso des Bois’, exhibition(with C.A.Hiley) at Le Comptoir du Livre, Liège, Belgium
2023
World Illustration Awards touring exhibition in China, starting at the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning (MoCAUP), China
2022
Solo show of original drawings at Typewronger Books, Edinburgh, UK
Marseille Morning, Out of the Blue, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK Edinburgh City Arts Center, as part of the Jean F Watson Bequest aquisition. Print acquired as part of the City Art Centre collection, Scotland, UK
2021
COP26 Glasgow (exhibition of illustrations for climate innovation, show of images from my book ‘The Return’), Gasgow, Scotland, UK
Edinburgh Science Festival, show of ‘The Return’, at Inspace, Edinburgh, Scotland,UK
2020
‘Open’, Society of Scottish artists and Visual Arts Scotland show together, Edinburgh, UK
2019
Utopia - What’s yours? Gracefield Arts Center, Kirkcudbright, Scotland, UK
2018
Subtle/Dazzle, the Sutton gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
The Edinburgh Art Fair, with the Society of Scottish Artists, Edinburgh, UK
‘Deluge’, Edinburgh Printmakers, UK
‘Salon Collection’, Edinburgh Printmakers, UK
Impact printmaking conference, international printmaking conference, Santander, Spain
‘Limited Edition’, Edinburgh Printmakers, UK
‘Open’, Society of Scottish artists and Visual Arts Scotland together, UK (W. Gordon Smith Award).
2017
‘We Might Disappear’, solo show at the Scottish Arts Club, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
‘From Paper to Gold’, exhibition and portfolio of Edinburgh Printmakers’ 5O years anniversary, Edinburgh, UK
Joyce Gunn Cairns and Cécile Simonis at the Sutton Gallery, Edinburgh, UK
‘Made Up’, Glasgow Arts Club, Glasgow, UK
2016
‘Creatures in Time and Space’, solo show at the Meffan Gallery and Museum, Forfar, Scotland, UK
Society of Scottish artists annual show, Edinburgh, UK (Pauline Fay Lazarus Prize)
‘Exquisite corpse’, St Andrews Museum, St Andrews, Ecosse, UK
Royal Scottish Academy exhibition, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK (Edinburgh College of Art library prize)
Cupars Art Festival, ‘Liminal’, drawing exhibition, Cupars, Fife, UK
2015
‘Winter exhibition’, The Sutton Gallery, Edinburgh, UK
‘Summer show’, The Edinburgh Drawing School, Edinburgh, UK
‘Actinic, Photography in print’, Edinburgh Printmakers, Edinburgh, UK
‘Limited edition’, Gallery Ten, Edinburgh, UK
Society of Scottish Artists annual show, Edinburgh, UK
2014
Wegimont Culture, group exhibition, Wégimont, Belgium
‘No Fixed Abode’, Edinburgh Printmakers, Edinburgh, UK
Group exhibition of printmakers at The Royal Overseas League, London and Edinburgh, UK
Group exhibition at Bon Papillon gallery, Edinburgh, UK
Society of Scottish Artists annual show, Edinburgh, UK
2013
‘Cécile Simonis’, Musée des Beaux Arts, Espace Jeunes Artistes de Liège, Belgium
XXIIe Prix de la gravure et de l’image imprimée, Centre de la Gravure et de l’Image Imprimée (FWB), La Louvière, Belgium
‘Moi/Je’, Le comptoir du Livre, Liège, Belgium
2012
‘Enfance’, Espace Venta, Liège, Belgium
‘La fin du monde’, le Comptoir du Livre, Liège, Belgium
‘Winter exhibition’, Edinburgh Printmakers, Edinburgh, UK
‘Cécile Simonis’, Espace Tendances, Liège, Belgium
Saint Leon’Art, Liège, Belgium
Les Electro-Syphons, Liège, Belgium
Festivals, fairs and events
LICAF (Lakes International Comics Art Fair), October 2026
BABE (Bristol Art Book Event), Bristol, UK, June 2026
Papier Carbone, Charleroi, May 2026
Bords Perdus, Bruxelles, September 2024 et 2025
Papiers Multiples, Liège, December 2025, 2026
Les Fugueurs du livre, Liège, Autumn/Winter 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
Festival Fumetto, Lucerne, Switzerland, 2023
London Illustrators Fair 2023
Art Book Berlin, Berlin 2022
Mauvais caractère, bonnes résolutions, organised by Ice Screen, Bruxelles, 2022
Thought Bubble, Harrogate, UK, 2022, 2023, 2024
Fruitmarket Artist Book Market, Edinburgh, Scotland,UK, 2014,2015,2016,2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Brocante de l’illustration, Bruxelles, Belgium, 2022, 2023
Livre en fête à Ferrières, Belgium, 2022, 2023, 2024
Hackney Comic and Zine Fair, London, UK, 2021
Glasgow Zine Fair, UK, 2021,
etc
Prizes, awards and public funding
Bourse d’aide à la création en Arts Plastiques pour Big Horse, Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, 2025Culture Moves Europe, European mobility funding from the European Union and the Goethe Institut, 2024
SOFAM mobility mini grant, SOFAM, 2024
SOFAM double bursary (for riso rural/rural riso), SOFAM, 2023
World Illustration Awards 2022, shortlisted and highly commended artist
World Illustration Awards 2021, shortlisted artist
Bourse d’aide à la création BD, Bourse découverte. Fédération Wallonie Bruxelles de Belgique, 2021
Visual Artist and Craft Maker Award
Awarded by Creative Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council, 2018
The W. Gordon Smith Award
Received at Open, The Society of Scottish artists and Visual Arts Scotland exhibition ‘Open’, 2018
Pauline Fay Lazarus Prize for a work using the human form
Received at the Society of Scottish Artists exhibition, 2016
The ECA Library Prize
Received at the Royal Scottish Academy open exhibition in 2016
The Scottish Arts Club Prize
Received at the Society of Scottish Artists annual exhibition, 2015
The Meffan Gallery and Museum Prize
Received at the Society of Scottish Artists annual exhibition, 2014
Capitaine Marie prize for an Art student
Given by the city of Liege, Belgium, 2008
Collections
Work present in public and private collections including
Edinburgh Art Library (Edinburgh, UK)
Gaada, (Shetlands, UK)
le B3 (Liège)
City of Edinburgh Council (Edinburgh, UK)
Edinburgh Printmakers (Edinburgh, UK)
Higher education
Master's degree in Art Teaching
Ecole Supérieure des Arts de la ville de Liège (ESAL), Belgium, 2010
Grande Distinction
Master's degree in visual Arts (illustration)
Ecole Supérieure des Arts de la ville de Liège (ESAL), Belgium, 2008
Grande Distinction
Erasmus in Accademia di belle Arti di Perugia, Italy 2007
Bachelor's degree in visual Arts (Illustration)
Ecole Supérieure des Arts Saint-Luc Liège (ESA Saint-Luc), Belgium, 2006
Grande Distinction
Riso des bois
With C.A.Hiley, we opened ‘Riso des Bois’, a riso printing and screenprinting studio in the Belgian Ardennes.
We organise Papiers Multiples, a printmaking fair and event in Liège, with A l’Est and Aline Chaineux.
Teaching
I have taught in the illustration department at Edinburgh College of Art for several years until 2022.
I have also regularly given lessons at Edinburgh Printmakers and the National Museum of Scotland.
I have collaborated with other institutions including St Cecilia’s Hall (The University of Edinburgh), Griffinton Art School (Montreal, Canada), the Edinburgh Drawing School and The National Galleries of Scotland.
Stockists
Le comptoir du livre, Liège, Belgium
Typewronger, Edinburgh, UK
Gallery Ten, Edinburgh, UK
Gnash!Comics, Ashburton, UK
Weilensee, Berlin, Germany
Neurotitan, Berlin, Germany
Riso Pop, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Brock n’ Roll, La Louvière, Belgium
I don’t have an agent or gallery representation. Please contact me directly for commissions, exhibitions or sales (you can also check the online shop!)