Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Simmons.
Hi Steve, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Childhood spent near the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. At age 10 moved to western Montana. Graduated high school in 1968. Started out as an art major History minor in college than switched to Elementary ed. with an art teaching minor and a history specialty. With Medieval history being the area of emphasis. Taught in a one-room school in western Montana with 8 grades in one room. Moved to Colorado and taught sixth grade. and then gifted and talented. given a medical retirement and then started a 35-acre medieval living history site in Lava Hot Springs called Somerville Manor. We were averaging about 5,000 school age students through the site including church groups in the summer as well as public and private school students. Started working with digital art in 2001. Sold the Medieval business and worked for Young Living for a few months before taking an adjunct instructor’s position at Utah Valley University. Teaching in the humanities. The history of mankind through art. Retired to family property in Cache County and began developing the TTRPG Planet Archipelago game both writing adventures, rules and using digital art to illustrate the material.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been many struggles at every point along the way. Some notable ones, my forced medical retirement was because the school district refused to pay the medical treatment for my condition. So, I was given the choice: accept a medical retirement or they would “Find” a reason to terminate me with no retirement. The medieval living history was forced to close by county officials. Their complaints included that you could hear the word “evil” in Medieval, so it was all evil. or the idea that we said we were a living history village and a village according to the uniform code is the same as a subdivision and streetlights and sidewalks are required in the code. Giving “life in the Middle Ages” presentations to public schools died off when public schools stopped teaching world history. At UVU a department head told me, “I was not a real artist I was just and illustrator no better than N.C. Wyth or Norman Rockwell.” At times atmospheres are toxic. While the Game Planet Archipelago has sales all over the world it is not a big seller, the more edgy games remain the more popular. At age 75 I have learned to just accept what happens.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I sold my first work of art during 6th grade to a fellow student for his lunch money. He wanted a picture of a Consolidated freight truck. In High School I was president of the Art Club and acted in Brigadoon. I worked in pen and ink and pen and ink with watercolor washes. Mostly old mining towns and western wildlife, with very limited fantasy work. In collage I learned to make zinc plate etching and purchased an etching press. I continued with watercolors and oils along with the new acrylic paints but most of my work was limited edition etchings. After marriage I realized I did not sell enough to support a wife and family so becoming a teacher would allow me time for art in the summer and teaching in the winter. Around 2,000 I purchased a new computer that could handle digital painting, so I began to teach myself this new art form. The fumes from acid etching zinc were causing lung issues so I felt a desire to try this new art form. My artwork had changed over the years with more fantasy and medieval historical themes prompted by the medieval business and a couple of trips to Europe to study the Middle Ages and visit European Living history sites. Today almost all of my work fits the medieval-science fiction theme of Planet Archipelago the game.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Many know that I am a devoted Christian, Most know that I love my family. Most know that I absolutely loved the 35 years I spent putting on armor and participating in medieval re-enactments. Most know that I am a retired educator who loves teaching and seeing the light go on in a student’s eyes when the information clicks and they understand it, fewer know that I write stories, game adventures and such. I don’t “hang out” with the gaming crowd and I stopped playing D&D 40+ years ago. My last Art show was more than 15 years ago at UVU. so there are now fewer who know I create art.
Contact Info:
- Website: Sold on DrivethroughRPG.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planet_archipelago/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063588402849
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-simmons-40371042/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SteveSimmons1250
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/steve.simmons.986/
