Add to Favorites

Print Page

Simone Erni was born on June 22, 1946 in Lucerne. She grew up in an enviable environment. Inspired by her father, the famous Swiss painter, designer and sculptor Hans Erni but also by the art of her mother, Simone Erni became interested in painting at a very early age. Hans Erni personally acquainted with many of the great artists of the 20th century, supported and encouraged her to become artistically creative.

At the beginning of the 1980's Simone Erni, her husband Raphael Fornara and their son Franco moved to the U.S. They lived in the beautiful quiet countryside of Palm Springs in sunny California. Those years were very influential for her art. After their return to Switzerland they settled first in Lugano, where Simone Erni displayed her artwork in 1983.
 

Simone Erni

In 1988 they returned back to Lucerne to open up their own Art Gallery. Many artists used the opportunity to display their artwork in their Gallery - which has meanwhile become a meeting point for international art. Simone Erni created 1990 the illustrated book "Venezia" (Impressions of the Venetian Carnival). The beautiful scenery of Venice forms the perfect backdrop for this extraordinary art book, full of joie de vivre, sensuality and erotic.

In 1994 Simone Erni picked up her old passion of three-dimensional modelling, which she had studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Geneva. In 1995 she modelled two plaster reliefs for her first  Medal, which was carnival-themed. In the following three years she created another three Medals (one of them again for the Lucerne Carnival) and in 2005 several lithographies about the Lucerne Carnival were issued.

Apart from painting and modelling she also designed calling cards, lapel pins and beach towels.

For her 65th Birthday in 2011 she created the limited edition lithography "La Salute" with a corresponding medal. The art project was realised in close co-operation with the Association "IG Erni Medaillen". "La Salute" is a fascinating supplement to her illustrated book "Venezia" from 1990.

A detailed biography of Simone Erni can be found on her official homepage: Link to the official biography of Simone Erni