Jaq Grantford is an award-winning artist, specializing in fine art and portraiture.

She has participated in a number of exhibitions, winning numerous awards, most recently winning the Architecture Award in the Master of Art Competition in London, and the People’s Choice in the Shirley Hannan National Portrait Prize.

Her work is held in the National Gallery of Victoria and many other collections, and is also to be included in a soon-to-be-released book documenting the history of the Black Swan Prize for Portraiture.

She has had a love of art for all her life and a particular fascination with portraits and personalities.

 

 

 

 

Above: "Sisters" by Jaq Grantford, 36" x 36", oil.

 

SELECTED GRANTS AND AWARDS:

2018 - Finalist Mod Portrait Prize Spain, MEAM European Museum of Modern Art

2018 - Best in Show, Gateway International Painting Competition

2018 - Finalist Gateway International Painting Competition, February

2018 - Finalist Gateway International Painting Competition, April

2018 - People’s Choice Black Swan Portrait Prize, Art Gallery Western Australia

2018 - Winner 8th place, Portrait Society of America, International Members Prize

2017 - Winner Hidden Faces People’s Choice

2017 - Winner 3rd place, Portrait Society of America, International Members Prize

2017 - Finalist Fomenar Art Prize, Rome, Italy

2017 - Finalist Portia Geach Portrait Prize

2017 - Semi-finalist Doug Moran Portrait Prize

2016 - Finalist Hornsby Art Prize

2016 - Winner Melbourne in Cliftons Art Prize

2016 - Semi-finalist Doug Moran Portrait Prize

2016 - Park Art Fair International, Germany, Honourable Mention

2016 - People’s Choice Shirley Hannan National Portrait Prize

2015 - Finalist Black Swan Portrait Prize

2015 - Winner Master of Art International exhibition, Architecture Award, London

2015 - Scholarship to attend International Portrait Conference with Portrait Society of America

2015 - Certificate of Excellence Artavita International Art Prize

2014 - Winner People’s Choice Black Swan Heritage Prize, Perth

2014 - The Archibald Salon de Refuses

2014 - Third Place, International Artist Magazine, Landscape Prize

2014 - Semi-finalist Doug Moran Portrait Prize

2014 - Support Stipend, Can Serrat residency, Spain

2014 - Finalist Shirley Hannon Portrait Prize for realism

2014 - Semi-finalist in Arte Laguna Prize in Venice

2014 - Certificate of Excellence in the Portrait Society of America open international competition

2013 - Winner People’s Choice Black Swan Portrait Prize – portrait of Jacki Weaver

2013 - Highly Commended Black Swan Heritage Prize

2013 - Finalist Surrealism prize, Mortimore Art Prize

2013 - Australian Guild of Realist Artists, Winner of the Presidents Challenge

2013 - S.H. Ervin Gallery, Salon de Refuse with portrait of Jacki Weaver

2012 - Winner Surrealism prize, Mortimore Art Prize

2012 - Finalist, Black Swan Portrait Prize

2012 - Finalist, Portia Geach Portrait Prize

2012 - Finalist, Cricket Art Prize

2012 - Finalist, Waverley Art Prize

2012 - Finalist, Xstrata Percival Portrait Award

2011 - Semi-finalist, Charlatan Ink Art Prize in New York. 100 chosen internationally

2011 - Finalist, Corangamarah Art Prize

2011 - Finalist, Black Swan Portrait Prize

2011 - Finalist, Mortimore Art Prize

2010 - Finalist, Waverley Art Prize

2009 - Finalist Black Swan Portrait Prize with portrait of Jonathon Welch

2009 - Finalist in the ANL Mariners Art Prize

2008 - Finalist, Black Swan Portrait Prize with portrait of Paul Mercurio

2008 - Winner of the ‘Hidden Faces of the Archibald’ exhibition – portrait of Paul Mercurio

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2015 - ‘Eclectic Synergy,' G3 Artspace, Parkdale

2012 - ‘A Show of Hands,' Chapel off Chapel, Prahran, VIC

2010 - ‘Nancy Bentleigh,’ Dromkeen Museum of Childrens’ Literature, Riddell’s Creek, VIC

2008 - ‘A True Person,’ Dromkeen Museum of Childrens’ Literature, Riddell’s Creek, VIC

2005 - Children’s illustrations, Dromkeen Museum of Childrens’ Literature, Riddell’s Creek

2004 - ‘Shoes News,’ Dromkeen Museum of Childrens’ Literature, Riddell’s Creek, VIC

2003 - ‘Various Farious,’ Chisholm Institute, Dandenong, VIC

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2016 - Women Painting Women, Burrinja Cultural Centre

2015 - Outstanding Women Artists, Media House Gallery

2014 - Can Serrat Artists, El Bruc, Spain

2007 - Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava Slovakia

2007 - Ilustrarte Biennial International Exhibition of Children’s book Illustration Portugal

2007 - Warnabool Art Gallery

2004 - Frankston International Music Festival

2004 - Warnabool Art Gallery

2003 - Wyreena Community Arts Centre Exhibition

 

RESIDENCIES AWARDED:

Can Serrat, Spain, 2014

Nes Residency, Iceland, 2019

PUBLISHED WORK:

SELECTED WORKS AS AN ILLUSTRATOR AND AUTHOR

The Hush Treasure Book – picture book published by Allen and Unwin
Simply Drawing - book and DVD demonstrating drawing techniques
Shoes News - Listed in the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge and the Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge.
Various Faerious - Allbooks Editor's Choice Award 2003

Nancy Bentley - picture book written by Tracey Hawkins, shortlisted Speech Pathology Awards

Molly’s Memory Jar - picture book written by Norma Spalding, recommended book Family therapists Award

A True Person - one of the 250 outstanding new international books for children and young adults that have been selected for The White Ravens 2008, one of the recommended books with the Family therapists Award.

Squeezy Cuddle Dangly Legs - Recommended book with the Family therapists Award, translated into 8 dialects for the African market.

Pemberthy Bea - listed in the Victorian Premier’s Reading Challenge.

Wishes For One more Day - Children's Literature's Recommended Books for Grandparents' Day September 2006, NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

International Artist, Feature, Master Artists of the World, Issue 113 pp. 94 - 97

American Art Collector, January 2015, pp. 125

International Artist, Edition 97, p. 7

Artist’s Palette, Edition 112, cover and pp. 20 - 28

The Art of the Portrait, Issue 60, p. 15

American Art Collector, Issue 106, pp. 83

Black Swan Heritage and Portrait Prize, 2013, featured in catalogue and image used on the front of a bus

3 x 3 Illustration Directory, p. 250

SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

National Gallery of Victoria, Australia

Can Serrat, Spain

Cliftons, Melbournre, Australia

Dromkeen Museum Children’s Literature Trust Collection, Victoria, Australia

MEDIA

Art reviews, interviews and presenting for 3MBS Classical music station 3MBS in Melbourne

 

Learn more about Jaq Grantford and see her portfolio of paintings: www.jaqgrantford.com.