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| Travis Simpkins, 2014. Photo: Steven King © Worcester Magazine |
Travis Simpkins, CIPS is a freelance artist, educator and museum professional. His works are in numerous collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. He also serves as "Milestone Artist" at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, creating artwork inspired by the ISGM collection. Recently, the artwork of Travis Simpkins received praise from the office of Martin Kemp, art historian and world-renowned authority on Leonardo da Vinci.
Travis is a dedicated Museum employee and consultant. His efforts have culminated in the addition of 300+ works of Art to the permanent collection of the Worcester Art Museum, including 94 woodblock prints by Toshi Yoshida. Travis' artistic skills have benefited the promotion of museum programs involving Audience Engagement, Education, Curatorial, Development, Conservation and Marketing. With 15 years of art security experience, he is an expert in matters of art protection, and has provided security training for newly hired art museum guards. In addition, Travis spent two years working in conservation, aiding in the restoration of an 18th Century historic home in central Massachusetts. His art contributions and museum work have been featured in various publications and periodicals. Travis offers his services as an educator, teaching art classes and workshops in a variety of disciplines.
As a professional artist, Travis Simpkins is a highly skilled observer. His unique eye for aesthetic detail, combined with a background in museum collections, preservation, research and security work lends itself perfectly to study, promotion and outreach related to Art Crime, Art History and Archaeology.
In addition to Art Crime Illustrated, Travis Simpkins is also a regular contributor to Stolen Cavalier, along with fellow Art Crime and Security experts Anthony Amore (Director of Security at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum) and Vicki Oliveri.
Travis Simpkins is a Certified Institutional Protection Specialist (CIPS) and a member of the New England Chapter of the International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection IFCPP.
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| Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and Travis Simpkins |
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Testimonials
"Travis Simpkins is a dedicated lover of art. He protects it at the Worcester Art Museum. He creates it in the form of an amazing portfolio of sketches ranging from portraiture to interpretations of important art objects. And he preserves it via a weekly mailing of then-and-now photos of the WAM that accumulated quite a following and garnered him a great deal of publicity."
-Anthony Amore, Director of Security at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and Author of "Stealing Rembrandts"
"This is the nicest art rendering of myself I have ever seen."
-Dr. Mark Koltko Rivera, Author of "Freemasonry: An Introduction" and Presenter on The History Channel
"You can see by the reactions of associates… overwhelming admiration for such artistic talent." -Stevan Layne, President of the International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection IFCPP
"A darn genius." -Chris Faraone, News & Features Editor at DigBoston
"Fabulous work. You really captured Bob in the sketch."
-Donna Wittman, Vice President of Robert Wittman, Inc.
"I'm speechless… Color me impressed." -Michael Blanding, Author of "The Map Thief"
"It's nice to see someone in the art security field who also has great artistic talent." -Detective Don Hrycyk, LAPD Art Theft Detail
"In many ways it's more me than photographs generally are. You are very gifted, and I'm honored to have been your subject." -Ron Hansen, Author of "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
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| Travis Simpkins at work |
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| caricature of Travis Simpkins. Cartoon by George Panagopoulos |
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| International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection IFCPP |