Nick Grellier
My practice combines drawing, assemblage, video performance and text works which examine human tensions and tendernesses through semi-autobiographical scenarios and transitory experiences. My works are usually materially simple. Using discarded rubbish and found objects, and familiar drawing or DIY methods, my practice challenges value systems and hierarchical making, and pokes at the slim gap between seriousness and absurdity in daily life. I use text alongside and embedded in my work, stitching into disintegrating found textiles and making enlarged repetitive texts in graphite. I am excited by the linguistic playfulness of the English language and the layers of meaning that one word can stimulate in a piece of work. In recent years I have collaborated with artist Emily Lucas, (both laughing) Collaborative, researching the function of drawing as an autobiographical act with exhibitions and site specific installations, and with artist filmmaker Anna Cady making experimental multi-projection installations. I produce Pecha Kucha Nights Stroud at Stroud Valleys Artspace.
born Toronto, Canada 1966
UWE Bristol MA Fine Art 2017-20
Chelsea School of Art BA Hons Fine Art 1985-88
Wimbledon School of Art foundation diploma 1983-84
Stroud Illustration Collective (S I C)
Lives and works Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK
solo exhibitions
SPacejUNK drawing project exhibition SVA John Street Gallery, Stroud 2022
TODAY drawing project exhibition SVA John Street Gallery, Stroud 2020
FUTURE GIANTS The Malthouse for Select Festival, Stroud 2017
FURNISH Emma Leschallas, Tetbury 2012
RUN 50! Mount House Gallery, Marlborough 2011
WRECKS West Eleven, London 2010
CAVE DRAWINGS Tricycle Gallery, London 2006
CAVE DRAWINGS Stone Theatre, London 2005
BOONDOGGLE Sieff, Tetbury 2005
MEMBERS DINING ROOM Babington House, Somerset 2001
RUST AND MOULD Prema Arts Centre, Glos 1992
recent exhibitions
2025
PAPER WORKS BIENNIAL OPEN RWA Bristol 25 January – 27 April
7th JOHN RUSKIN PRIZE Trinity Buoy Wharf, London 16 January - 2 February
2024
DRAWING IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE Gallery Napa, Lapland 14 Dec 2024 - 7 Jan 2025
SI.C. BOOK COVERS REIMAGINED Stroud Book Festival, Stroud venues
DRAWING THE NIGHT IN Young Gallery Salisbury, curated by Susan Francis & Prudence Maltby Oct 25 2024 - Jan 4 2025
RWA 171 OPEN Bristol 13 Sept - 5 Jan 2025
(both laughing) Collaborative retrospective F Block, Bower Ashton Campus UWE Bristol
BLACKSWAN OPEN Frome
SUMMER Aleph Contemporary, Stroud
50/50 Unit 1 Gallery London
REUSE, REINVENT Victoria Works Chalford curated by Charlotte Abrahams SITE FESTIVAL
TRINITY BUOY WHARF DRAWING PRIZE 2023 touring exhibition The Gallery at the Arts University Bournemouth, The Arts Institute, Plymouth University ;Turnpike, Wigan,
RICHARD multi-projection installation (with Anna Cady) Chapels of Rest Stroud, Stroud Film Festival
A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN Irving Gallery, Oxford
S.I.C SCI-FI Film Posters Reinterpreted Museum in the Park & Lansdown Gallery, Stroud
6th JOHN RUSKIN PRIZE Trinity Buoy Wharf, London
INSERT ART HERE Lansdown Gallery, Stroud
2023
ARC Salon Painswick, Glos
RWA 170th OPEN. Bristol
TRINITY BUOY WHARF DRAWING PRIZE Trinity Buoy Wharf and touring UK
PROTEST POSTERS (both laughing) Collaborative SVA John Street Gallery, Stroud
WELLS ART CONTEMPORARY Wells Cathedral
Artist Curator ‘houseworkwork’ SITE FESTIVAL (both laughing) Collaborative Stroud
OPEN_OPEN Chapel Arts Studios, Andover
Artist Curator MY BODY IN MY HANDS (with Sam Lucas) SVA John Street Gallery, Stroud
SFSA DRAWING OPEN no format gallery, London
SALON FOR A SPECULATIVE FUTURE -’How to be in the future’ WOMEN ARTISTS’ PRINT PORTFOLIO EXHIBITION Publication Launch and Portfolio Exhibition (both laughing) Collaborative MOCA, London
S.I.C CREATURE FEATURES Film Posters Reinterpreted Lansdown Gallery & Museum in the Park, Stroud
SWEAR IT ON A DUSTER The Duster Project and Profanity Embroidery Group Twelve Tap Gin Bar, Whitstable & HOLD, Ramsgate
2022
SMALL FRAMES RO Frames, Stroud curated by Barnie Page
SALON FOR A SPECULATIVE FUTURE - WOMEN ARTISTS’ PRINT PORTFOLIO EXHIBITION / IMPACT 12 Multidisciplinary Printmaking Conference (both laughing) Collaborative UWE Library, Bower Ashton, Bristol
CHATTELS Moveable Objects (with Paul Grellier) Chapels of Rest, Stroud
FREE RANGE UWE Alumni Exhibition Truman Brewery, London
WORDplay Fringe Arts Bath
SFSA DRAWING OPEN no format Gallery, London
A ROOM OF HER OWN Irving Contemporary, Oxford
THE OUTPOSTED EXHIBITION Three Stories, Nailsworth
WORKS ON PAPER 4 Blue Shop Cottage, London
2021
NOWHERE SOMETIME online @consciousisolation curated in collaboration with UoG students
2020
HUMANISING MEDICINE ‘Covid19-Apart But Together’ BEING HUMAN FESTIVAL 2020 Queen Mary University of London
TRINITY BUOY WHARF DRAWING PRIZE Trowbridge, Dundee, London, Bournemouth
EAT, SLEEP, (I CAN’T) BREATHE www.vacantmuseum.com
THE OUTPOSTED PROJECT www.theoutpostedproject.com
GOOD ON PAPER COVERS EXHIBITION Stroud Brewery
talks, conferences, events, residencies, reviews
PECHA KUCHA NIGHTS at SVA by in Good on Paper Nick Grellier 2025
RICHARD - a response Dr Paul Harper 2024
WHAT IS DRAWING RESEARCH? Symposium & exhibition (both laughing) Collaborative UWE BCU Drawing Research Group Birmingham School of Art Nov 2023
PROOF! (both laughing) Collaborative Postgraduate Research Conference UWE Bristol June 2023
(both laughing) Collaborative residency At The Garage March 2022 and Jan 2023
LOCKDOWN 1 Drawing Symposium Pecha Kucha online Drawing is Free / Drawing Projects UK Feb 2022
“Making Their Mark. Why artists draw: an interrogation of drawing as a subjective, autobiographical and emotional act” with Emily Lucas PhD research project 2020
www.a-n.co.uk/reviews/today/ review of TODAY drawings exhibition Artists Newsletter Trevor H Smith 2020
www.studiointernational.com/index.php/trinity-buoy-wharf-drawing-prize-2020-review-cooper-gallery-university-of-dundee-scotland 2020
“A Slight Increase In Happiness : a discussion on constructive thinking via a year of drawing” Bricks Bristol artist talk Jan 2020
“Bad Drawing : intentions for, and status of drawing” artist talk 2020
“Mighty Pencil : drawing and language, the funny and the sad” artist talk 2020
SELECT TALKS producer Centre for Science and Art Stroud 2017-2019
Works held in Tate Archives, RA Print Collection, Gloucestershire Archives (both laughing), ARC Salon.
Private collections UK, USA, Canada, S. Africa and Europe.
Helping Artists Keep Going
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