BIOGRAPHY

A true impressionist, Peter Graham paints on the spot in a spontaneous manner inspired by the changing light conditions of the moment. “The idea of mood as integral to a painting is a romantic notion” he believes.

“Sunlight flickering within a scene brings excitement and atmosphere, allowing me to offer unconventional contrasts where colours can deliberately present emotion or feeling”.

Still life occupies an important place in Peter Graham’s output, affording an opportunity to explore colour in a reflective manner. “In the peace and quiet of my studio”, he wrote in a recent article for ‘The Artist’, “I can focus on the particular characteristics of a pigment, trying to get to the truth of what colour actually is and understanding more about the special relationships between specific colours like red, green or yellow.

Still Life painting is the perfect vehicle for this type of expression”.Peter Graham trained at the Glasgow School of Art and spent several years working as a film editor for the BBC before becoming a full time painter in 1986. From 1994 to 1996 he acted as Advisor for the Visual Arts to the Scottish Art Council and, in 1999 when still an associate member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, he won the Windsor and Newton prize for non-members.

Elected to full membership soon afterwards, he was Vice-President of the ROI for a period and is widely regarded as one of the most talented and original young painters of his generation.

In 2023, he was illustriously recognised for his work in watercolour and was elected as a full member of the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour (RSW).