Reginald "Reggie" Simms

Reggie’s talent comes from life lived.

"When I was young, the library here in Purcellville, African Americans, or black folks, or colored folks, whatever they called us, we couldn't go to the Library."

Reginald “Reggie” Simms worked at the Purcellville Library for Mrs. Robey, a Suffragette who believed in the races being separate. This was during the time Loudoun County was segregated. While Simms was not allowed to use the Library, he did work there patching books and helping Mrs. Robey with her personal art projects.

Simm's love for art was ignited during this time, he loved seeing the National Geographic magazine covers on the shelf, which were hand drawn at that time.

"People's faces and things, no two are alike. The expressions that people have, or just to see all these faces and stuff, that was one of the things that interested me."