“Tony connected with art early in life. He remembers receiving a watercolour kit in pre-school, the tiny disks of pigment given to him in recognition of his drawing proficiency. Soon after, the art galleries his mother took him to left an indelible impression. He recalls attending an Andy Warhol show: “What really inspired me was that whole art scene. I found a strong romance in it that was mine. It’s like people who like to read. You know they’re totally influenced by the world they get drawn into. Well, I’m the same way when it comes to art—I just get totally inspired. I love seeing artists and I love seeing art and galleries and studios.”

Folklife Magazine, April 2024, written by Amanda Lemay

ARTIST STATEMENT

Inspiration struck when stumbling across an old boat tucked away in an unused boat shed. Sunlight streamed through cracks in its siding, highlighting the dust in the air while casting streams of light and shadows over the worn wood and peeling paint of this sleeping beauty. Who built it, why was it built? How has necessity defined its shape and function? 

As a boatbuilder and as a career, I have chosen to preserve old wooden boats. I’m fascinated by their historic value, an intrigue that draws me into a careful study of their build and design. Many of the boat images I create come from the inspiration of working on the vessels themselves, or of the historic role they played in the past. 

Intrigued by the myriad of hulls shapes, styles and construction, I find true beauty, and then joy of artistic license, by using light and colour to capture the essence of the boats in my paintings.

Tony Grove is showing at the following galleries in 2024/2025:

Coast Gallery - Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada

Fortune Gallery - Victoria, BC, Canada

Studio 106 Gallery - Victoria, BC, Canada

Gallery 8 - Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada

Pier Gallery - Gabriola Island, BC, Canada

The Hearth Gallery - Bowen Island, BC, Canada

Link to Tony Grove’s professional website for boatbuilding & woodworking

www.tonygrove.com