Personal Information

Full Name

Kimberley Simmons

Artist Bio

My mother was a spoiled young girl who loved fashion, music people and drama. In high school, she was famously known for her controversial Elvis and Sophie Tucker impersonations to name a few. But instead of acting, she married, had 3 kids and learned the fine art of cosmetology in Las Vegas in the 50’s; in a time when bouffants, cascades and eyelashes were everyday, high fashion! Then, in 1974, my mother Raine started Youtopia, a hair salon in Campbell, California, that became a stage for her every whim!

I was 16 emulating the work of George Hurell and Helmut Newton as I became Youtopia’s studio, documentary and press photographer. By 1984, I was also doing lighting, fashion design, make-up, modeling and choreography for Youtopia until eventually we had to hire additional photographers to shoot what became a series of trend-setting, hair fashion production phenomenons that included several performances a year at art galleries, discotheques, mansions, clubs and cabarets from San Jose to San Francisco, all under the direction of my mother, 20 hairdressers, partners, friends and/or interns, each designing their own fashion complete with models sometimes numbering 50 in one show.

Today, I shoot a variety of subjects including bugs, buildings, Levi’s, cars, water, farm food, flowers and other, mass produced close-ups of life’s living wonders!

I continue to tell the story of Youtopia with the images I have captured during that theatrical voyage of my mother, Raine Davidson who sadly passed away in 2005. (See accompanying Youtopia Photos in My Artist Work page)

Artist Statement

Barbie to me. . . is the story of my life.
… the ‘Altered’ version!

My mother Raine, her husband, myself, a sister, 3 aunts and a network of
hairdressers, more family, friends, musicians and a band of artists, all
set the many stages of Youtopia.

We did a little bit of everything in this family business, while still attending high school
including; set design, costume design, modeling, lighting, make-up and choreography.
I was also, Youtopia’s key photographer for the first several years.

Youtopia was my mother’s invention of living art
expressed through hair, fashion and theatrics. Much the same way almost every little girl in America
imitated life through art when she played with Barbie and her friends at the Malibu House!

We did it all over the bay area from Campbell, California to San Francisco.
Art galleries, cabarets, discotheques, Union Square and more.
There were also annual parties /productions at Youtopia, the hair salon in Campbell.
Once we outfitted every room in a mansion, showcased by select interior designers, with a ‘Youtopia’ model complete with a finale: A Youtopia fashion ballet performed outside on the grassed premises.

Sure, I once had a lot in common with Barbie . . . except she was far more conservative!
(See accompanying Youtopia Photos in My Artist Work page)

History

Member for

16 years 9 months