About Me

Graham McBride

Graham McBride, born in Cairns, Queensland, grew up in the diverse landscapes of rural northern Australia. Initially trained as a metal tradesman, he later pursued Engineering-Science at university, though his deep-seated interest in art and environmental issues eventually guided his career path. Art became his medium to explore philosophical conflicts and environmental concerns.

He lived and worked in Europe for 13 years before returning to Australia in 2004 where he combined his artistic pursuits with political activism, even running for parliament and building a sustainable home. He later moved to London where he now resides. His art, initially focused on portraiture, evolved into an abstract expressionist style, influenced by his extensive travels across Australia, Europe, Asia, and the United States. His work reflects a deep connection to nature, often exploring the concept of place and the tension between natural systems and the modern world-the interface between nature and culture.

Graham’s paintings are often distinguished by their vivid colours, dynamic execution, and the interplay of conflicting gestures. His interest in balance, whether between past and future or conscious and unconscious, permeates his abstract works. Though his pieces rarely feature people, they convey a personal emotive interaction with the natural environment. Working primarily with acrylics or oils, and occasionally mixed media, Graham’s art invites viewers to engage and interpret the dynamic forces he captures on canvas.

Training

Graham trained through selectively chosen short courses, including at:

  • The Slade Art School, London
  • Roy Ray School of Art, St Ives, Cornwall, England
  • Julian Ashton Art School, Sydney
  • Paddington Art School, Sydney

Exhibitions

Graham has exhibited solo and collectively, mostly in the UK and Australia. These include:

  • Third Quarter Gallery, Brisbane
  • Islington Boat Club, London
  • Agora Gallery, New York
  • Premiers All Stars, Victorian National Gallery, Melbourne
  • Cube Gallery Frankston, Vic Aust.
  • Exhibition Sponsored by Peninsula Hospice Mt Eliza, Vic Aust.(Solo)
  • Bayside Art Show, Melbourne(Highly Commended 2009)
  • Camberwell Art Show, Vic Aust.
  • Art shows on the Mornington Peninsula including Red Hill, Continental Hotel Sorrento, Mt Eliza North Vic Aust.
  • Art Garden Gallery, Bristol UK (Solo)
  • Folk House, Bristol, UK (3 solo exhibitions)
  • MHO Contemporary, Bristol UK (Solo)
  • The Bridge foundation, Bristol UK
  • Queens Road Art Show, Bristol UK
  • The Bristol Guild
  • Spirit of the Outback Exhibition, Winton Qld Aust.
  • Frances Reilly Gallery, Eumundi, Qld Aust.
  • Alder King Headquarters, Bristol UK (Solo)

His paintings are held in private and corporate collections in London, Oxford, Bristol, Exeter, Belfast, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston and Florida

In Melbourne his paintings are currently available at Thierry B Gallery in Prahran.

“Nature in all its geographic specificities is the governing motif of Graham McBride’s contemporary abstractions in acrylic, oil and mixed media on canvas. Drawn to the expressive nature of his medium, his works are vibrant, semi-abstract and multilayered permutations of one profound universal theme: balance. This preoccupation has its impact on the elegant, harmonious pieces but also reflects the artist’s interest in the state of interdependence and ‘equilibrium’ man can achieve in relation to the natural environment. Indeed, this concept is the chief element of McBride’s unique process, content and style. Influenced heavily by his travels throughout Europe, Asia and the United States as well as his early childhood memories of the craggy and dust-swept landscape he called home growing up in Australia, the beauty and chaos inherent in nature is a matter of McBride’s primary visual concern.”

Independent Review by Agora Gallery, New York 2013