Biography

Granville, painter, born as Granville Atherton, in Liverpool, UK, 12th July 1945.
Attended Northwich College of Art, 1962 - 65. Studied Art History, Painting, Textile and General Design.
Attended Southport College of Art, 1980-81. Studied Photography.
First exhibition of paintings held at the Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.
Early works were inspired by the images of the Northern Industrial Landscape. The imagery was simplified using flat areas of colour, surrounded with a black line. An obvious influence at this time in his development was, amongst others, Patriok Caulfield.
By 1979 he had moved away from this rather sombre, grey imagery of factories and street scenes to develop an understanding of the human form. Although the style remained much the same, these figurative paintings became pure fantasy.
It was in 1984 that he made his first visit to Spain and was immediately engulfed by the immense beauty of the country. It was inevitable that this encounter would have a profound effect upon his work. Abandoning all that had gone before, he began to develop a vigorous and more spontaneous approach, which he believes the subject demands. Present day influences must indude, David Bomberg and Howard Hodgkin.
First Spanish exhibition was in Madrid 1991, with another group show in 1992. This was followed by a solo exhibition in Málaga, 1993. He continues to travel between the U.K. and Spain, exhibiting in both countries.

Exhibitions

1967 Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool
1968 Colin Jellicoe Gallery, Manchester
1978 Bootle Art Gallery, Merseyside
1985 Hanover Galleries, Liverpool
1993 Galeria Terral. Málaga, Spain
1993 Ayuntemiento de Mijas, Spain
1994 Prescot Museum, Merseyside
1996 Editions Limited, Liverpool
1999 Southport Arts Centre Gallery, Merseyside
2003 Prime Arts Gallery, Bath, Wiltshire

1973/4 Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston, Lancashire
1975 Tia Maria Open Exhibition, London (prizewinner)
1976 N.W. 1., Chenil Galleries, Chelsea, London
1976/83/88/89/96 Manchester Academy, City Art Gallery, Manchester
1976/77/78 Hiscook Gallery, Portsmouth
1977 The Allerton Gallery, Liverpool
1977/78 St. George’s Gallery, Twickenham
1979 Five At Saiford, City Art Gallery, Salford
1983 The Watermill Theatre, Bagnor, Berkshire
1983 Edinburgh Festival
1983 Contact Theatre, Manchester
1984/86 International Contemporary Art Fair, London
1984/86 Granada Television Collection, Manchester
1989/91/92/93/95 Laing Collection Open Exhibition, London (prizewinner)
1989 Blackheath Gallery, London
1990 Stephen Bartley Gallery, London
1991 Centro Civico Social, Madrid
1991 Alternative Seventeen, Ainscough Gallery, Liverpool
1992 Galeria de Arte Novart, Madrid
1994/98 Castlefield Gallery, Manchester
1994 Everyman Theatre, Liverpool
1995 Beatrice Royal Art Gallery, Southampton
1997/98 British Work House Gallery, Dallas, USA
1999 A Spanish Affair, Kirkby Gallery, Merseyside
1999/2000 Ktisis Gallery, Liverpool
2000 Editions Limited, Liverpool
2003 Affordable Art Fair, London
2004 Compton Cassey Gallery, Cheltenham