"If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint"
The Story Behind The Painting
Pete Grainger was born and grew up in Nottingham. He describes his family; parents and 3 sisters, as nomads as he attended no less than 10 different schools in the area! He began an apprenticeship at 15 and became a carpenter/joiner working all over the country on various building projects. He has 2 children and now lives in Norfolk.
Pete has always had an interest in drawing and this led him to study an art foundation course in Ipswich. The following year he enroled at Norwich School of Art where he studied for a degree in Fine Art. He could not get enough of learning and believes he did 5 years in 3 as he would always arrive at university first thing in the morning and being last to leave in the evening, with the caretakers locking up behind him!
Despite having difficulty with the written side of the course, Pete achieved a 2.1 BA Honours degree in Fine Art.
Pete appreciates all art and is never short of ideas, he makes a mental note of anything that catches his eye, from chickens and pigs to a Suffolk cottage in the moonlight, and then sketches them down to work on later. His love of art stems particularly from his liking of people whether it is a group laughing in a restaurant or someone looking into a shop window.
He is extremely inventive and enjoys trying new ideas and techniques. For the last couple of years he has been experimenting with plaster, which he calls his modern day version of frescos. Pete is excited and positive because they are beautiful.
When it comes to colour Pete has no fear. He loves colours and wherever he goes he finds inspiration. The brighter colours come from visits to Morocco, India and Turkey but he finds just as much inspiration closer to home. The power of light is immense in giving form to every single thing. He loves nothing better than the intense brightness of the early morning and late evening, as it saturates the fields and hedgerows of the Norfolk landscape.
Pete is a man with a passion for capturing people and nature on canvas.
Pete is approachable, friendly and enjoys chatting. He loves to get feedback from people who come into the Gallery where there is always a cup of tea on the go!
