About

Erin Simons of Laurel Ridge Studios is a SWVA native and currently creates in Wytheville, VA. She is an established watercolorist, but most recently has taken up the traditional craft of Appalachian broom making. Erin is a juried member of four different galleries in the Abingdon/Bristol, VA area, and one of eight recipients of the 2023 Central Appalachia Living Traditions Tradition Bearers Fellowship Grant.

Erin consistently seeks new ways to integrate what she is learning into her established skill set. That is the impetus behind her beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces. For the past 16 years she has worked to instill that same sense of creative adventure and curiosity in her art students. Erin currently teaches art at George Wythe High School and also teaches children's classes at the Rose Cottage School of Art, both in Wytheville, VA.
When she isn't teaching and creating her own work, she can usually be found with her husband, enjoying live music and parenting their four children who are (15, 13, 11, and 9).

Watercolors and Broom Making