About the Artist

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In 1988, in his late thirties, Grant Palliser abandoned a career in Environmental Health to develop an art practice.

Although originally intending to study painting, Grant was captivated by the diversity of sculpture and over the following four years he majored in sculpture at Canterbury University’s Ilam School of Fine Arts and specialized in bronze casting at St Martins Central School of Art and Design, London during a placement in 1990.

Grant works in a wide variety of materials and media, and until 2019 specialised in lost wax bronze casting and stainless steel at his home-based studio/foundry overlooking the Waimea inlet near Māpua. His three-dimensional works range from small table pieces to large site-specific public and private commissions in both realism and abstract genres.

Grant built a successful profile with seven public commissions in the Nelson region using bronze, stainless steel, cast aluminium, mild steel, and water among his media. He has exhibited widely in both 2D and 3D and has works in both public and private collections both nationally & internationally.

While maintaining his art practice Grant enjoyed a 25-year art teaching career punctuated by periods of full-time art production and further international travel and research including art residencies in Ireland [2014] and Portugal [2018] where he extended his painting practice.

In February 2020 Grant, and partner Esmé, relocated to the coastal village of Māpua in Tasman, NZ.  During the ensuing Covid19 ‘lockdowns ‘ and the development of a new studio, Grant responded initially to the abundant stimulation of his new environment through  poetry and prose. Reflecting on these writings has led to the works in this exhibition returning predominantly to painting. He is, however, still available for sculpture commissions.