Painter of figure subjects, landscapes and still life. Born 5 June 1927 in Sheffield. He was apprenticed for five years to a sign-writer and also attended evening classes. Greaves won a Scholarship to the R.C.A. where he studied from 1948-52; he then won a travelling Scholarship to Italy 1952-3 where he met Guttuso and other Italian Realists. His first one-man exhibition was held at the Beaux Arts Gallery 1953. His work was shown with that of Jack Smith, Bratby and Middleditch in the British Pavilion, Venice Biennale in 1956. Greaves visited the Soviet Union in 1957 and participated with seven other English artists in the exhibition Looking at People in the Pushkin Museum, Moscow. He was awarded the Gold Medal for Painting at Moscow Youth Festival, and a special prize in the John Moores Liverpool Exhibition 1957. Has taught painting at the St Martin's School of Art since 1955.
1927
Born in Sheffield
1943-48
Apprenticed as a sign-writer
1948-52
Studied at the Royal College of Art
1952-54
Abbey Major Scholarships to study in Italy
1954-64
Taught part-time at St Martin's School of Art, London
1956
Represented Britain at the Venice Biennale (with John Bratby, Edward Middleditch and Jack Smith)
1957
Visited USSR. Awarded Gold Medal for painting at Moscow Youth Festival.
Awarded prize at John Moore's Exhibition, Liverpool
1960s
Taught part-time at Maidstone College of Art and Royal Academy Schools
1962
Awarded purchase prize in Belfast Open Painting Exhibition
1979
Visited Israel with nine other British artists to produce work for 'Israel Observed' project
1983-91
Head of Printmaking at Norwich School of Art
