Say hello to Sheffield artist Nick Grindrod

It’s time for us to chat to another locally-based creative and this month it’s the turn of local artist Nick Grindrod, he was brought to our attention by a previous fellow Sheffield Creative, Joe at Captone Framing and we just loved his vibrant work.

Nick has a solo exhibition from the 19th of November at The Shop on Abbeydale Road, which should be well worth a visit.

Volta:  Are you self-taught or have you had formal training?

Nick: I studied at Sheffield College when it was up at Norton, and then went onto Derby University to study Fine Art. Saying that, I think the most important part of being a painter is the self-taught element.

Volta:  Which piece of work are you most proud of, and why?

Nick: There’s no individual piece that I can say I’m most proud of. I think I’m most proud of the overall journey I’ve had as an artist over the past 10 years, and that I take pride in each of my works in their own right.

Volta: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your creative journey?

Nick: I think it’s everything – your overall journey and experiences and relationships at different points in your life creep into your work and influence it.

Volta: Do you have any routines or rituals when you’re creating?

Nick: No rituals as such – but I walk to my studio each morning and I think this walk helps to clear my head and I think about what I’m going to be working on that day.  When starting a new work I always get a vague sketch down first, but then this will always change as I work in quite an intuitive way. The other constant for when I’m working is music, and this can change and vary depending upon my mood and energy levels.

Volta: Is there a project you’ve always wanted to create but haven’t tackled yet?

Nick: I’ve been lucky to work on a lot of interesting projects over the past few years, such as print collaborations with the Royal Academy of Art and Jealous Gallery, limited edition collections with fashion and interior brands, and lots of work with charities including War Child, Choose Love, Art on a Postcard and Beermats for Balls.

I do really enjoy working on collaboration projects and would love to do more of these in the future. I think they offer new perspectives to my work, and I love working with others to create and see my work in new forms.

Volta: What do you love most about being a creative in Sheffield?

Nick: Sheffield has a rich history in art and culture, and continues to flourish and attract creatives to the city, either through art, music, film or media. I feel there’s not a great deal of support for creatives in England (especially in the North), which consequently means artists have to create their own DIY artscene.

There are lots of brilliant artists in Sheffield and over the years I have become part of a great community of artists who all support one another. This was one of the motivators for me setting up my own small gallery space on Abbeydale Road – The Shop – to show more of the local talent, and to bring shows that will attract people from outside the city to enjoy more contemporary art.

Volta: If you could own any work, by any artist, from any period, what would it be and why?

Nick: Anything by Frank Auerbach

Volta: How does Sheffield influence your work?

Nick: The city around me influences my work, both consciously and subconsciously. Having lived in Sheffield all my life, there’s definitely a strong connection between the city and my work. I see the cross pollination in the change in landscape over time, particularly the city centre and industrial areas of Sheffield, where buildings have been regenerated and the new overlaps the old.  The patinas and colours in my work reflect how time has affected things like the brickwork and signage in the city, creating its own aesthetic.

Volta: Which Sheffield artist, venue, gallery or creative organisation deserves more recognition?

Nick: Graves Art Gallery. I’m really sad to hear the news that the Graves Art Gallery is closing permanently. This has been an incredibly important space for me, and for many other Sheffield artists. I remember visiting often as a child, and have continued to visit regularly to this day. It is a great loss to the city, and I really hope that the Council and Sheffield Museums find an alternative venue so that Sheffield can retain a gallery space of a similar calibre where people can continue to enjoy the vast collection that the Graves has to offer.

Volta: What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you? 

Nick: Whilst studying art at uni I also trained in Taekwon-do, and I hold a II dan black belt in ITF Taekwon-do.

Sheffield artist Nick Grindrod

Want to find out a little more about Nick and his work, here are links to his website and Social Media accounts – enjoy!

Nick Grindrod

Learn more about our previous Fellow Sheffield Creatives

Kelly Walker
Capstone Framing
Vicky Scott
Katherine Rhodes
Jim McElvaney
Eva Juusola
Zoe Genders
Janet Wass
Rebecca Stewart
Juliet Forrest
Alan Pennington
Debra Burrell
Joe Scarborough
Cath Dunn
Meghan Downs
Mark H Wilson
Laura Page
Wendy Carlton
Bryan John
Paul Hilton-Tapp
James Green
Jill Ray
Gavin Kilcommons
Rob Richardson
Mark Turner
Graham Clark
The Clear