CAPTURING
THE BIRDS OF FLORIDA
The Art of Ernest C. Simmons
By Aaron R. Fodiman
60 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2018
ART
In Hot Pink Landing,
Ernie captures the
beauty of spoonbills
in flight.
For more than 40 years, Ernest Simmons has been painting Florida’s wildlife with a special emphasis on birds. Ernie
moved to Clearwater with his family while in high school and began his life as a naturalist by volunteering as a
wildlife rehabilitator. During this time, he spent thousands of hours, photographing, studying and drawing Florida
wildlife and its vanishing environment. He had a natural talent that made him a good artist, and in 1980, when
he was very young, he won the Florida Duck Stamp competition with his vivid portrait of a pintail duck in flight. In
1997, Florida Ducks Unlimited named him artist of the year. He was commissioned by the Florida National Parks and
Monuments Association to paint the Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks, and he was invited to paint 28 Florida
waterbirds for an international educational poster project.