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.