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Mitch Griffiths

Mitch Griffiths (born 5 february 1971) is a British artist based in the south west of England. The vices of contemporary society are central to his work and he is allegorical paintings predominantly reference modern life utilising a realist painting style that sometimes contains surrealist thematic content. In his most recent exhibition, Iconostasis Griffiths explored the potentials of video installation, although he is principally known as a painter working in oil on canvas.

Amongst his more conceptually based works Griffiths has also produced several portraits of notable celebrities including the actor [| Ray Winstone], the actress [| Keira Knightley] and the Musician and philanthropist [| Sir Bob Geldof].

He is represented by the Halcyon Gallery  in London. He has had three acclaimed one man shows at the gallery, and participated in numerous group shows.

Early Life
Born 1971 in Nuneaton, Griffiths showed an interest in Art from an early age with encouragement from his school. He received a diploma in graphic design from South Devon college in 1987 and went on to complete a national diploma in illustration at the Southampton Institute.

Early Career
Initial success and emergence into the art world came after Griffiths painted a portrait of the boxer Chris Eubank. Eubank used the image to promote his matches and then commissioned Griffiths to create several new works before employing him and becoming his patron.

Griffiths met Terry Johnson while working for Eubank, who owned Huystns, a Cornwall based resort that also catered to athletes and boxers. At Hustyns, Griffiths became artist in residence and created numerous works to be exhibited at the location. During this time he also had three solo exhibitions at the Bishop Phillpotts gallery in Truro, Cornwall.

National Portrait Award
In 2001 Griffiths painting entitled 'Armoured Heart' allowed him to gain access to the National Portrait Gallery's award sponsored by BP, and subsequently used his image for the poster which while increasing his notoriety throughout the capital, helped him in achieving his first solo exhibition in London at the Enid Lawson gallery in 2002. At this time, Griffiths became a regular visitor of the Halcyon gallery who after meeting him and seeing his work, offered to represent him permanently in 2004.

Exhibitions at The Halcyon Gallery
Reality, 2006

The Promised Land, 2010

Iconostasis, 2013