Jaq Grantford is an Australian figurative artist working across painting and sculpture. Her practice explores people, the human experience and the world around us, with a particular interest in the stories held within an image.

In portraiture, Jaq looks beyond an accurate likeness, seeking to capture something of the person themselves. Through expression, gesture and presence, she aims to create portraits where the subject feels truly present.

Her sculptural practice extends these ideas into three-dimensional form, exploring the human figure through material, process and texture.

Jaq is also drawn to still lifes, buildings, objects and fragments of everyday life. These subjects can hold memories, stories and a sense of time and place, revealing something about the people and experiences connected to them.

Jaq holds Signature Status with the Portrait Society of America and is an ARC Associate Living Artist. She has received major awards including the Darling Portrait Prize, the Archibald Prize People’s Choice Award and the Kennedy Prize. Her work is held in public and private collections including the European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM), the National Portrait Gallery of Australia and the National Gallery of Victoria.