About Valeriy

Valeriy Gridnev, RP PS ROI, was born in Siberia in 1956. He first studied art at the Art College in Sverdlovsk before being accepted as a student at the Academy of Fine Arts, St Petersburg.

He graduated in 1990, winning the Gold medal of the USSR Academy of Arts with his graduation painting, Early Years. This medal is regarded as the highest award in Russia for a young artist. With the medal came the opportunity of working in the creative studio attached to the Academy for the following three years.

In 1996, in recognition of his outstanding ability, he was awarded a special studio by the Union of Artists in St Petersburg.

In 1999 he came to work in England as a professional painter. When he first came to England he was appointed artist in residence at Highclere Castle where he painted portraits of the late Lord Carnarvon and his family, including the present Lord.

This led to many portrait commissions of distinguished sitters in the UK, mainland Europe and America. He now works from his studio in London and from the homes of many of his sitters.

The sustained high quality of his work gained him membership of some of the most prestigious societies for artists in the UK:

Pastel Society in 2003 (PS)
Royal Institute of Oil Painters in 2006 (ROI)
Royal Society of Portrait Painters in 2011 (RP)

While the scope of Valeriy’s work has covered many genres, it is his figurative work, including commissioned portraits, that he favours and for which he has received the highest acclaim.