Hi, I'm Simon Robin Stephens – a watercolour artist living and working in Carshalton, South London.
I create therapeutic landscapes that bring calm to chaotic minds. Living with ADHD, I understand what it means to need sanctuary – and I paint it.
My work was recently selected for The Salvation Army's UK Easter donor thank-you campaign, with 600,000 cards printed nationwide.
Looking for therapeutic art for your practice or home? Browse the gallery
If you're seeking sanctuary in an overstimulated world, this work might speak to you
Counselling rooms, psychotherapy practices, meditation studios, and wellness centers where visual calm matters.
"Non-distracting, grounding, designed to hold space for difficult conversations"
For ADHD brains, anxiety sufferers, highly sensitive people, and anyone who needs visual sanctuary at home.
"Created by someone who understands what it's like to need quiet"
People creating intentional spaces—reading nooks, calm bedrooms, meditation corners, home offices designed for focus.
"Art that doesn't shout for attention but offers it when you need it"
Looking for something meaningful for someone going through change, recovery, or simply in need of calm.
"A gift that says 'I see you, and I want you to have peace'"
Not sure if this work is right for you? Explore the gallery at your own pace—no pressure, no urgency.
Explore the GalleryI don't paint what I see – I paint what I feel. And what I feel is often the opposite of what my ADHD mind experiences daily: calm, quiet, stillness.
Living with ADHD means my world is often loud, scattered, overwhelming. But when I pick up a brush and watch watercolour bloom on paper, everything slows down. The chaos fades. The noise quiets. For those few hours, I find sanctuary – and I capture it on paper.
"My art isn't just about painting landscapes – it's about painting how those landscapes feel. The calm of morning light on water. The quiet of a forest glade. The gentle rhythm of waves on a shore."
Finding inspiration in nature – the landscapes that become sanctuaries
I discovered watercolour during a particularly difficult period. My ADHD made traditional jobs challenging – the structure, the deadlines, the constant sensory overload. I needed something that worked with my brain, not against it.
Watercolour became my therapy. The unpredictability of how pigment moves on wet paper matched the way my mind works – you can guide it, but you can't control it. You have to learn to work with the chaos, not fight it.
When I started selling my work, I noticed something: therapists, counsellors, and mental health professionals kept buying my paintings. They'd tell me their clients found them calming. Soothing. Grounding.
That's when it clicked – my art could do for others what it does for me. It could create those moments of quiet in a noisy world. It could offer sanctuary to people who need it most. This philosophy is at the heart of my Sanctuaries of the Mind collection, where each painting is designed to create visual calm.
Created by someone who understands
Designed to calm and ground
Every piece tells a story
I live in Carshalton, South London – an area rich with hidden heritage and quiet beauty. The historic ponds, the ancient churches, the forgotten corners of suburban Surrey – these are my subjects.
My South London collection celebrates these local landmarks – from Carshalton's historic ponds to hidden corners of suburban Surrey. Many locals have never really looked at the beauty that surrounds them. My paintings invite them to pause and see their neighbourhood with fresh eyes.
I work primarily in watercolour on 100% cotton paper. The medium's fluidity mirrors water itself – unpredictable, organic, alive. You can't force watercolour to do what you want; you have to dance with it.
When I'm not painting, I'm:
I love hearing from collectors, therapy practitioners, and fellow artists. Whether you have questions about commissions, want to collaborate, or just want to chat about art and ADHD, I'd love to hear from you.
Every piece signed & certified
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