Born in Oxford in 1955, Martin Griffiths' childhood experiences of living in Trinidad, and later Singapore, undoubtedly influenced his intention to become an artist. He trained at Gloucestershire College of Art and Design from 1975-78, and then began to teach at secondary level. He moved to Pembrokeshire in 1982 to concentrate on his artistic practice. He set up a gallery and ran art courses. In the 1990's he lectured for the University of Wales and the National Art Collection Fund. In 2000, he was awarded the W.C.W James OBE Memorial Trust Laudatory…
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Born in Oxford in 1955, Martin Griffiths' childhood experiences of living in Trinidad, and later Singapore, undoubtedly influenced his intention to become an artist. He trained at Gloucestershire College of Art and Design from 1975-78, and then began to teach at secondary level. He moved to Pembrokeshire in 1982 to concentrate on his artistic practice. He set up a gallery and ran art courses. In the 1990's he lectured for the University of Wales and the National Art Collection Fund. In 2000, he was awarded the W.C.W James OBE Memorial Trust Laudatory Award for lecturing in art. Since then, he has lectured for the University of Nottingham and W.E.A, Lincoln. He has exhibited across Britain, in both museums and commercial galleries, and he has been featured in group exhibitions in London. He has also exhibited in New York. His work is in collections in the USA and Europe, including Switzerland, Holland and Germany. He has had solo exhibitions at the West Wales Art Centre and the Museum of Modern Art, Wales. His work is also in the public collection of the Museum of Modern Art, Wales. His work has been featured in 'Who's who in Welsh Art, 1945-99'. In 2003, after moving to Lincolnshire, he received an Arts Council of England grant to develop and exhibit two-dimensional light constructions.
Martin Griffiths' work has developed through many phases but is currently concerned with the experience of light. This has led from painted abstract representations of light towards the development of solar sculptures that use light as the principal medium. Recently, Griffiths said, "I have a pure intention to make sculptures that might channel the light of the sun into vessels which hold and release this light, the light of our universe".
