Grant Preston was born in Uitenhage South Africa. Although his mother was a well- established artist in the area, Grant showed no interest in any formal art training at school. His interest in the Arts started in 1980 when he took up ceramics as a hobby. He soon developed a style which culminated in an exhibition of ‘plump ballerinas’ and ‘nutty pugilists’ at the Gaby Steele Gallery, Johannesburg in 1981. With the need to increase the size and durability of his images, Grant started carving in marble and wood, at the same time attending figure-drawing classes at the University of the Witwatersrand. This helped develop his sketching into a more expressive medium. After two successful exhibitions of his sculptures and line drawings at Melville Place Gallery in 1983 and at The Art Scene in 1984, Grant started concentrating on adding colour to his sketches. His first one-man exhibition of oil paintings was at Things Gallery in Johannesburg. Since then Grant has had numerous exhibitions his latest being held at ‘The Drury Lane’ gallery in Lincoln, England. “My style is ever-evolving : I can’t seem to satisfy my vision of Beauty. I’m totally absorbed when I paint. I allow myself to be in charge of the entire production…. to see it as an ideal.” Although his subject still remains the figurative, his ever-changing expressions and practiced ability have allowed his work to mature slowly over the past twenty years, each period clearly defined, each painting carefully catalogued. Today Grant lives and paints from his home in Oranjezicht,Cape Town, and invites all art lovers to come and see a work in progress.

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