Gary Grant
Gary started his career in 1970 airbrushing cars and trucks. He did his trade as a panel beater, and also wanted to become a Master Spray Painter at the same time. In the early 1970s, after completing a panel-beating apprenticeship, he chose to specialize in fiberglass. In the fiberglass trade he has gone through to level 3 – the highest he can go here in Queensland. Within the trade, he became a junior engineer – which enables him to strategically and safely design & install large-scale artworks, with a structural engineer signing off his work.
“Art has always been in me – it’s what I do!”
Gary Grant
He opened his own business building hotrods and airbrushing cars, trucks, and all sorts of things! His automotive painting, which he carried over into sign, and everything else he creates, gives him the confidence to know that the quality of his work will last more than 20 years.
Early in his career he moved to Cairns, Queensland, and opened ‘First Impressions’ – building 3D signs, sculptures, and props for nightclubs, movies, shopping centres, resorts, and children’s nursery schools.
Public Art Sculpture Commissions – Artist, Builder & Installer
This opened up the art world for him, and he began to receive art commissioning jobs across a broad range of applications.
Film props for movies, artifacts for museums, backdrop murals and artwork & props for nightclubs in far north Queensland. He worked as a lighting technician within these areas, to better highlight the art he was creating. Also working as a Grip – with the responsibility to build and maintain the equipment that supports cameras. This equipment is constructed of delicate, yet heavy-duty parts requiring a high level of experience to build, operate and move. Gary has taken this experience forward into the art field to ensure his artworks are installed & engineered to the high level of precision required.
His business has been mostly word-of-mouth. Being actively sought out by artists, architects, and business owners, as well as being referred to Councils and Heritage Committees, as the “go-to” expert in his field.
Gary has a broad professional knowledge, extensive experience, and a friendly, approachable manner. He loves working with his clients to build their dreams into reality. Creating iconic public art structures is what Xtreme First Impressions Public Art is all about.
“I don’t have my own “style” – I take my style from the interview I have with my client. Once they tell me the sort of thing they want, I have the vision to create what is in their mind. From what they tell me, I draw up the concept design, bringing those ideas to life…. Making it work, is what I do.
You are able to contact Gary directly on 0429 315 884