Biography
Jenny Grevatte 2012 by Jay Goldmark
Jenny Grevatte lives in Rutland. She began her career in the 1970s as a painter of small still lives and was discovered by renowned art dealer, Lillian Browse, when only twenty nine. Jenny’s first solo show was subsequently held at the Browse and Darby gallery, in Cork Street, London in 1981 and she was a gallery artist there until 1989 when Miss Browse retired.
Lillian remained Jenny’s close friend and mentor until her death in 2005 at the age of 99. In the catalogue for her retrospective at Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal, she said of Jenny’s work :
“Jenny Grevatte’s modest paintings show the delight she takes in picturemaking , despite the struggles all true artists face. Her approach is unfashionable by today’s standards, in that they pose no esoteric problems. Jenny’s pictures give pleasure to all who own them, surely one of the greatest attibutes of art”
The retrospective at Abbot Hall Art Gallery in Kendal was held in her fortieth year, 1991 , and was opened by her friend and supporter, Harry Ree, the war hero and educationalist.
A prestigious solo show followed in 1992 at Leicester Museum and Art Gallery, opened by Herald Goddard , a friend and supporter who was an eminent influence on the development of Leicester’s Art Collections. This show toured to the Bosener Muhle Art Gallery in the Saarland, Germany.
Many solo shows have followed; generally one a year, in various well known galleries around the country.
From 1994 to 2007 her work was concerned mainly with landscape. She recorded the many places she visited in her sketch books and these notated drawings formed the basis of her mixed media works back in the studio. She has travelled widely in search of inspiration and has interpreted France, Spain, Greece, Italy, Morocco, together with the counties of Leicestershire and Rutland. In the catalogue for her 1999 show , “A Colourful Response”, at the John Davies Gallery , Stowe on the Wold , Davies said
“Her paintings - engaging mixed media compositions often with a strong collage element, prismatic in their structure - reach out and celebrate the scenes she encounters”
In 1997 she discovered Cornwall and has produced many vibrant paintings of its coast and harbour towns. In 2005 a book of Jenny’s work ‘Landmarks’ was published by Great Atlantic Publications to coincide with her solo show ‘Drawn To Cornwall’ at the Great Atlantic Gallery. It has a forward written by Michael Jay, director of the gallery, and an introduction by Jenny herself.
Her 2007 solo show of 40 paintings of Cornwall, ‘Casting an Eye’, was held in Cornwall in two venues: Falmouth and St. Just in Penwith, with the Great Atlantic Galleries.
Her 2009 show was held jointly with her ceramicist husband, John Wright, at the New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham. This exhibition was the result of two years’ work on the theme of trees and was called ‘Out of the Woods’.
From 2008 to 2009 she was Artist in Residence at New Walk Museum and Art Gallery, where she had access to the hidden collection in the art stores for study and inspiration. This took her out of her comfort zone completely and she began working in new, expressive ways. Some paintings began to feature the figure and faces – elements that had never appeared in her work before.
In the summer of 2010, she had a landmark show entitled ‘A Painter’s Progress’ held at two public venues in Leicester: the New Walk Museum and Art Gallery and the Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester University (previously Embrace Arts).
At the New Walk Museum, Jenny showed the work she did whilst Artist in Residence there from 2008/9, responding to the work of artists in the collection; and at Attenborough Arts she showed a retrospective collection of 35 years of her work.
In November 2010 she showed her work jointly with her ceramicist husband, John Wright, in a show entitled “On Reflection” at Cambridge Contemporary Art. In November 2011 they showed their work together again in Farnham, Surrey, at the New Ashgate Gallery in an exhibition of potters and painters entitled ‘Perfect Pairings’.
2012 saw Jenny’s first solo exhibition with the Goldmark Gallery which was a great success with more than half the paintings sold. She is now a gallery artist there and had a second show in March 2015 which almost sold out. They are now her sole representative and always hold a stock of her work.
Jenny is continually evolving and developing her ideas and methods. Recent themes include trees and woods, hedges, rooftops, huts , bookshelves, rock formations, sunflowers, artichokes, wild flowers and, her constant favourite, still life. Scale, format and composition are exciting challenges for her and recently she has been exploring the quality and mystery of changes of light in the landscape.
A new and powerful theme is the moon, seen in all its varying moods and allowing Jenny to introduce a new palette of dark colours. Her attention sometimes veers toward the abstract, but always with a nod to the world around her.
There are several films about Jenny and her work available to view on Youtube and this website. They are made by her filmmaker son, Alex J. Wright, and one of them, “Keeping an Eye Open” has had over 400,000 views.
Jenny has always taught alongside her studio practice and feels it very important to share her knowledge with others. She is very proud to have launched the careers of many other artists. She currently runs short courses at the Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester University.
In September 2020 Jenny had her third solo show at the Goldmark Gallery, Uppingham, in celebration of her seventieth year and of fifty years of painting. It was her most successful exhibition ever for sales. There is a full colour catalogue available and a broadcast interview with the artist.See goldmarkart.com for details.
In April 2023 Jenny held her fourth very successful solo show at the Goldmark Gallery “Celebrating the joy in life” There is a full colour catalogue available and a “Walkthrough “ video of the show. See goldmarkart.com for details.
In the summer of 2023 Jenny moved to Rutland with her husband and set up a new studio to begin a new chapter of life and work.
Jenny’s work is in the collection of war hero Harry Ree, gallerist Lillian Browse, authors Allan Ahlberg and Carol Thompson, and actors Zoe Lucker, Susie Blake, and Anne Cunningham.
Her greatest influences have been Matisse and the Post-Impressionists, the Scottish Colourists, and the St. Ives School painters. More recently contemporary artists Peter Doig, Barbara Rae, Victoria Crowe and Michael Porter have inspired her in her use of mixed media.
She also has her work in many public collections, for example Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal; De Montfort University, Leicester; New Walk Museum and Art Gallery, Leicester; The Women’s Art Collection, Murray Edwards College, Cambridge; Christ’s College, Cambridge.
Curriculum Vitae
Solo Exhibitions
Celebrating the Joy in Life. Goldmark Gallery, Uppingham, 2023
Fifty Years an Artist, Goldmark Gallery, Uppingham, 2020
John Davies Gallery, Moreton in the Marsh, 2016
Goldmark Gallery, Uppingham, 2015
Goldmark Gallery, Uppingham, 2012
On Reflection, Cambridge Contemporary Art, Cambridge, 2010
A Painter’s Progress (Retrospective 1973-2010), New Walk Museum and Art Gallery and Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester University, 2010
Out of the Woods, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey, 2009
Casting an Eye, Great Atlantic Gallery, Falmouth, Cornwall, 2007
New Rhythms, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey, 2006
A Closer Look (a collection of still life paintings), Great Atlantic Gallery, Monmouth, Wales, 2006
Drawn to Cornwall, Great Atlantic Gallery, St. Just, Cornwall, 2005
Drawing inspiration from the sun, Cambridge Contemporary Art, Cambridge, 2004
New Paintings, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey, 2003
Sheen Gallery, Sheen, London, 2003
Catching a Glimpse, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey, 2002
Beyond the Surface (50th Year Exhibition), Cambridge Contemporary Art, Cambridge, 2001
Prisms of Colour, John Davies Gallery, Stow-on-the-Wold, 2000
A Colourful Response, John Davies Gallery, Stow-on-the-Wold, 1999
Jenny Grevatte at Home and Abroad, Cambridge Contemporary Art, Cambridge, 1998
Featured Artist, Linton Court Gallery, Settle, North Yorkshire, 1997
Landscape and Still Life Paintings, Cambridge Contemporary Art, Cambridge, 1996
Featured Artist, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey, 1996
Featured Artist, Jonleigh Gallery, Wonersh, Surrey, 1993
Recent Paintings, Bosener Muhle Kunstzentrum, Saarland, Germany, 1992
Recent Paintings, Leicestershire New Walk Museum and Art Gallery, 1992
Retrospective (1971-1991), Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal, Cumbria, 1991
Braybrook Cottage, Leicestershire, 1989/90/92
Artifact Fine Art, Leicester, 1985
Browse and Darby Ltd, Cork St., London W1, 1981
Alwin Gallery, London W1, 1980
Nottingham Playhouse Gallery, Nottingham, 1978
Haymarket Theatre Gallery, Leicester, 1976
St. Martin’s Gallery, Leicester, 1975
Selected Mixed Exhibitions Since 1980
Scape and Scope , Visions of land, sea and urban space Huntingdon Beach Art Center , California, USA 2021
Gallery Artists, Goldmark Gallery, Uppingham, 2012 to present
Woodlands, Cambridge Contemporary Art, Cambridge, 2013
Painters and Potters, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey, 2011
New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey, 2009/10
Gallerytop, Rowsley, Derbyshire, 2008/09/10/11
Sarah Wiseman Gallery, Oxford, 2008/09
East Anglian Landscapes, Cambridge Contemporary Art, Cambridge, 2007
Gallerytop, Rowsley, Derbyshire, 2006/07
Three Artists, Cambridge Contemporary Art, Cambridge, 2006
Affordable Art Fair, represented by Rowley Gallery, London, 2005
Gallery Artists, Great Atlantic Gallery, St. Just and Falmouth, Cornwall, 2005/07/08/09
Art 2005, Islington, represented by the Sheen Gallery, London, 2005
Gallery Nine, Birmingham, 2004/05
Five Artists, John Davies Gallery, Stow-on-the-Wold, 2004
Art 2004, Islington, represented by Gordon Hepworth Fine Art, London, 2004
Gallery Artists, Cambridge Contemporary Art, Cambridge, 2004/05/06
Russell Gallery, Barnes, London, 2003/04/05
British Art Fair, represented by Gordon Hepworth, Fine Art, 2003
Gallery Artists, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey, 2003/04/05/06
The Great Atlantic Map Works Gallery, Cornwall, 2003
Here comes the Sun, Joint exhibition between Falmouth Art Gallery and The Great Atlantic Map Works Gallery, Cornwall, 2003
Castle Gallery, Inverness, 2003
Glasgow Art Fair, Glasgow, 2003
Art 2003, Islington, represented by Gordon Hepworth Fine Art, London, 2003
Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh, 2002
Gallery Artists, Sheen Gallery, London, 2002/03/04/05/06
Landscape Artists, Great Atlantic Map Works Gallery, Cornwall, 2002
Gallery Artists, Geedon Gallery nr. Colchester Essex, 2002/03/04/06
Glasgow Art Fair, Glasgow, 2002
Art 2002, Islington represented by Gordon Hepworth Fine Art, London, 2002
As far as the eye can see – selected artists, Richard Attenborough Centre, Leicester University, 2001
Gallery Artists, New Grafton Gallery, Barnes, London, 2001
Guildford Arts Summer Exhibition, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, 2001
Gordon Hepworth Fine Art, Devon, 2001
Gallery Artists, Geedon Gallery, nr. Colchester, Essex, 2001
Three Gallery Artists, Sheen Gallery, Sheen, London, 2001
Spring Collection-three artists, Great Atlantic Gallery, St.Just-in-Penwith, Cornwall, 2001
Gallery Artists, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey, 2000/01/02
Gallery Artists, Cambridge Contemporary Art, Cambridge, 2000
Six Artists, New Grafton Gallery, Barnes, London, 2000
John Davies Gallery, Stow-on-the-Wold, 1999/2000
Browse and Darby Ltd., Cork St., London, 1997/98
Gallery Artists, Cambridge Contemporary Art, Cambridge, 1996/97/98/99
Gallery Artists, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey, 1994/95/97/98
C.C.A. Galleries, Trinity St., Cambridge, 1994/95
Return to Beauty, Roy Miles Gallery, London W1, 1994
Linton Court Gallery, Settle, N. Yorks, 1993
Jonleigh Gallery, Wonersh, Surrey, 1993/94/95
Austin/Desmond and Phipps, London W1, 1992
Phipps and Co. Fine Art, Cheyne Walk, London SW3, 1991/92
Two Painters, Linton Court Gallery, Settle, N. Yorks, 1990
Fosse Gallery, Stow-on-the-Wold, Glos, 1990
Jonleigh Gallery, Wonersh, Surrey, 1990/91/92
Austin/Desmond Fine Art, Berks, 1989/90
Henry Wyndham Fine Art, Jermyn St., London SW1, 1989/90
Contemporary British Art Fair, London, 1988
Austin/Desmond Fine Art, Berks, 1988
Gallery Artists, Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, 1985/86/87
Browse and Darby Ltd., London W1, 1985/86/87/88/89
4 Women Artists, Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, 1984
Ash Barn, Petersfield, Hants, 1982/83/84/85/86
Bath Festival of Contemporary Art, 1982/86
Guildford House Gallery, Guildford, Surrey (in association with Browse and Darby Ltd), 1982
Cassirer Fine Art, Johannesburg, South Africa, 1981/82
Chenil Galleries, London SW3, 1981
Browse and Darby Ltd., Cork St., London W1, 1980/81/82/83/84
Alwin Gallery, London W1 1980
Public Collections
Saarland State Collection
National Museum of Johannesburg
De Montfort University Collection, Leicester
Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal, Cumbria
Leicester Museum and Art Gallery
The Women’s Art Collection, Murray Edwards College, Cambridge
British Oxygen Company Art Collection, Windlesham
Hertfordshire County Council Art Collection
Christ’s College, Cambridge
Time and Tide Shipping Company, London
Awards
Visiting Artist to the Saarland, Germany, 1982
Exchange Artist to the Saarland, Germany, 1992
Artist in Residence, New Walk Museum, Leicester, 2008/9
Publications
“A Colourful Response” published by the John Davies gallery 1999 Forward by John Davies
‘Prisms of Colour” published by the John Davies Gallery 2000 Forward by John Davies
‘Drawing Inspiration from the Sun’ published by Cambridge Contemporary Art, 2004
‘Landmarks’ published by Great Atlantic Publications, Cornwall, 2005 Michael Jay and Jenny Grevatte
‘A Painter’s Progress’ published for the two venue show in Leicester at New Walk Museum and Attenborough Arts, 2010
‘Jenny Grevatte’ catalogue published for solo show at the Goldmark Gallery Forward Dr Alan Munro, 2012
‘Jenny Grevatte’ catalogue published for solo show at the Goldmark Gallery Forward Dr Mary Harlow, 2015
“Jenny Grevatte : Fifty Years an Artist” published by the Goldmark Gallery Forward by the Artist 2020
“Celebrating the Joy in Life “ Published by the Goldmark Gallery Forward by Kevan Porter 2023
Films
2010 “A Painter’s Progress” a film by Alex J Wright
2018 “Keeping an Eye Open” a film by Alex J Wright
2020 Interview with the Artist by Max Waterhouse on the occasion of her exhibition ” 50 Years and Artist” Goldmark Films
2021 “Drawing with Scissors” a film by Alex J. Wright about how Jenny makes her painted collages
2023 “Nocturnes” a film by Alex J.Wright about how she became interested in the the theme and her methods
2023 Walkthrough the exhibition”Celebrating the Joy in Life” Jenny chats with Max Waterhouse Goldmark Films
Details
DOB and Place: 1951, Bristol, England
Education
1969-70 Leicester Polytechnic, Foundation Studies
1970-74 Leicester Polytechnic B.A. Hons. Fine Art
Teaching
1978-84 Adult education, Leicestershire
1980/81/84 Visiting Lecturer, De Montfort University
1996/98 Part-time Tutor, Loughborough College of Art and Design
1984 - Present Part-time tutor at Attenborough Arts Centre, University of Leicester