Figurative painter, born in the Urals, Russia, married to the artist Katya Gridneva. He was educated at Sverdlovsk Art College, 1976–80, and at the St Petersburg Academy of Arts, 1983–90, from 1990–4 working in its creative studio. He also took an advanced course of studies at the USSR Academy of Arts. Gridnev’s graduation project was a picture called Early Years, which won him the Academy’s prestigious Gold Medal. Gridnev was a member of the Russian Artists’ Federation from 1991, from 1999 living and working in England based in Oxford. As well as initially showing in Russia, Gridnev soon began exhibiting abroad. He took part in various exhibitions in New York and Gissen, Germany, in the early 1990s. His many British appearances included Alberti Gallery, 1998; Pastels of the Century, Mall Galleries, Frank Herring Award, 2000; PS, The Discerning Eye and ROI, those three at the Mall Galleries, 2001; and Cricket Fine Art, Arndean Gallery, and Drake Gallery, both 2002.