Artist Statement
As a contemporary artist, I transform urban places and objects into visual stories through painting and photography.
For me, it’s always about the city, whether New York or Los Angeles, and the overlooked details that define its character. My work is built on the belief that every element has a reason, a principle shaped by my Bauhaus-oriented education.
Biography
Born in 1976, Edward Grad lives and works in New York City and Hudson Valley.
He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Glebov College of Arts in Minsk, where he studied traditional European painting and German minimalist design through a Bauhaus-influenced curriculum. He later received a Diploma in Film Post Production from Toronto Film School and completed studies in Roman Architecture at Yale University.
After immigrating to the United States in 1995, he began his career in Manhattan’s advertising industry as a graphic designer before moving to Los Angeles, where he spent nearly two decades as a concept artist and digital matte painter working with major Hollywood studios.
His film and entertainment credits include the Academy Award-winning animated features Frozen and Big Hero 6 for Walt Disney Animation, as well as his Emmy Award-winning work at HBO on designing historic cities for Boardwalk Empire. He has also worked on critically acclaimed Super Bowl and Apple campaigns, as well as music videos for artists including Katy Perry, Bad Bunny, and Pink.
Today, Edward has returned to his roots in painting, photography, and digital art, establishing his studio in New York, where he explores architecture, history, and the visual character of cities through his work.
Resume
Education
2010
Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
Roman Architecture Course, by Professor Diana E. E. Kleiner
2005 – 2006
Toronto Film School, Toronto, Canada
Diploma in Computer Animation in Post Production
Scholarship, 2005
1991 – 1995
Glebov College of Art, Minsk, Soviet Union
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Major: Painting; Second Major: Design & Photography
Exhibitions
2025
Santa Monica Art Museum - LoCal: Art Exhibit
SMAM, Santa Monica, California
Made In The USA: Comics to Counterculture
TAG - The Artists Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Brewery Artwalk, Spring 2025
Brewery Arts, Los Angeles, CA
The Art of Elysium / bG Live Nights Auction
bG Gallery, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA
L.A. Open 2025
TAG - The Artists Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2024
Moments
Gallery 612, Santa Monica, CA
Gifted
Gallery AF, Los Angeles, CA
Hathaway VS. Grad: Echoes of Los Angeles in Street Signs
Los Angeles Harbor Arts Center, Los Angeles, CA
Edward Grad: Echoes of Los Angeles in Street Signs
Los Angeles Harbor Arts Center, Los Angeles, CA
2011
Painting the Roman Empire / Peindre l'Empire Romain
Le Hachoir, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
2007
Edward Grad: Night on Don Valley
Don Valley Brick Works, Toronto, ON, Canada
1995
Concrete Utopia of Soviet Brutalism
Petrovsko-Razumovskaya Gallery, Moscow, Russia
1994 Upper City
Nemiga Gallery, Minsk, USSR
1993
Remnants of the Soviet Industrial Era
Glebov Art Show, Minsk, USSR
Film Industry & Advertising
1991-2024
Software: Photoshop, Lightroom, Maya, Illustrator, After Effects, Corel Painter
Technicolor / The Mill (2008 – 2023)
Offices: Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, London
Senior Matte Painter / Concept Artist / Art Director / Photographer
Worked on award-winning Super Bowl commercials for Apple, Coca-Cola, Meta, and car brands.
Paramount+ / CBS Studios VFX (2019 – 2023)
Los Angeles, CA
Matte Painting Supervisor / Lead Concept Artist / Photographer
Worked on TV series: “The Offer,” “This Is Us,” “MacGyver” and “All Rise.”
Artery (2014 – 2023)
New York, NY
Senior Matte Painter / Concept Artist / Photographer
Worked on feature films and TV: “Zoolander 2,” Disney’s “Hocus Pocus 2,” HBO’s “Full Circle,” and “Palm Royal.”
Meta / Facebook / Carbon VFX (2019 – 2022)
Los Angeles, CA
Lead Concept Artist
Created concept art for Meta VR immersive rooms and exhibitions projects.
Fuse FX (2015 – 2022)
Los Angeles, CA
Matte Painter / Concept Artist
Worked on TV shows: “The Orville,” “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “The Mysterious Benedict Society,” and “Shantaram.”
Netflix / Fin Design Division (2020 – 2021)
Los Angeles, CA
Lead Matte Painter / Concept Artist
Worked on feature films and TV: “Interceptor,” “La Brea,” and “The Tourist.”
Pixomondo (2021)
Los Angeles, CA
Lead Matte Painter / Concept Artist
Created planets for “Lost in Space” and post-apocalyptic Chicago scenes “Station Eleven.”
Digital Domain (2019 – 2022)
Los Angeles, CA
Lead Matte Painter / Lead Concept Artist
Worked on Pink’s “Walk Me Home” music video, feature films, and commercials.
Imaginary Forces (2021)
Los Angeles, CA
Lead Matte Painter
Worked on the “Foundation” TV series for Apple+.
Luma Pictures (2020 – 2021)
Santa Monica, CA
Senior Matte Painter / Concept Artist
Created concept art and matte painting for feature films.
Shade VFX / ILM Lucasfilm Collaboration (2019 – 2020)
Los Angeles, CA
Senior Matte Painter / Concept Artist / Photographer
“Raised by Wolves” TV series by Ridley Scott, concept art for HBO “Station Eleven.”
Method Studios (2019)
Los Angeles, CA
Concept Artist / Matte Painter
Created concept art and matte painting for high-end feature films and commercials.
Apple (Designory Advertising) (2018-2019)
Los Angeles, CA
Photography Retoucher / Lead Concept Artist
Worked on Apple Music digital projects and billboards “Taken by iPhone.”
DreamWorks Animation (2018)
Los Angeles, CA
Senior Matte Painter / Concept Artist
Worked on the Fast & Furious animated TV show.
MPC (2014 – 2018)
New York, NY / Los Angeles, CA
Matte Painting Supervisor / Lead Concept Artist
Supervised matte painters and worked on award-winning commercials.
Framestore (2013 – 2019)
Los Angeles, CA / New York, NY
Senior Matte Painter / Concept Artist / VR
Worked on commercials, animation, and virtual reality projects.
Brand New School (2015 – 2024)
Los Angeles and NYC offices
Senior Matte Painter / Concept Artist
Senior lead matte painter and concept artist working on commercials.
Elastic / a52 (2018)
Santa Monica, CA
Senior Matte Painter / Concept Artist
Created concept art and matte paintings for advertising projects.
Zoic Studios (2016)
Los Angeles, CA
Senior Matte Painter / Concept Artist
Worked on “The Arrow” TV show, focusing on matte paintings and concept art.
Psyop LA (2016)
Los Angeles, CA
Senior Matte Painter / Concept Artist
Worked on Star Wars commercials and TV spots, collaborating with ILM.
Logan TV (2016 – 2017)
Los Angeles, CA
Lead Matte Painter / Environment Artist / Concept Artist
Worked on Apple and BMW commercials, as well as the “Cambria” TV show.
Mirada Studios (2016 – 2017)
Los Angeles, CA
Lead Matte Painter / Concept Artist
Worked on Katy Perry music videos and commercials.
Stargate Studios (2015)
Los Angeles, CA
Matte Painter / Concept Artist
Senior matte painter and concept artist for “Heroes - Reborn”.
New York Film Academy (2015)
Los Angeles, CA
Digital Art Instructor
Teaching Matte Painting and Concept Art classes at New York Film Academy.
yU+CO (2015)
Los Angeles, CA
Senior Lead Matte Painter / Concept Artist
“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2,” creating matte paintings and concept art.
CoSA VFX (2015)
Los Angeles, CA
Senior Lead Matte Painter / Visual Development Artist
Lead artist on the “Gotham” TV series, creating matte paintings and set extensions.
Atomic Fiction (2014 – 2015)
Montreal, QC, Canada
Senior Matte Painter / Visual Development Lead
Created photorealistic matte paintings for Robert Zemeckis’s “The Walk.”
Lead consultant on New York City's 1970s architectural design.
Walt Disney Animation Studios (2013-2014)
Burbank, CA
Look Development Artist / Senior Matte Painter
Developed matte paintings and set extensions for “Frozen” and “Big Hero 6.” Both animated features won the Academy Award for Best Animation.
Rhythm & Hues (2012 – 2013)
Los Angeles, CA
Matte Painter / Concept Artist
Worked on “R.I.P.D.” and “The Seventh Son” feature films.
Charlex / 321 Launch (2011 – 2012)
New York, NY
Art Director / Matte Painting Supervisor
Worked on commercials and collaborated with advertising agencies as Art Director.
HBO / Brainstorm Digital (2010 – 2011)
New York, NY
Senior Matte Painter / Lead Concept Artist / Photographer
Worked on “Boardwalk Empire”, HBO series. Creating matte paintings and concept art recreating 1920s New York and Atlantic City, which won an Emmy for Achievement in VFX.
Rodeo FX (2010 – 2011)
Montreal, QC, Canada
Senior Matte Painter / Concept Artist
Worked on feature films “The Three Musketeers” and “Immortals.”
Intelligent Creatures (2009 – 2010)
Toronto, ON, Canada
Senior Matte Painter / 3D Environment Artist
Worked on feature films: “Piranha 3D,” “Nosso Lar,” and “The Bang Bang Club.”
Centennial College (2009)
Toronto, ON, Canada
Art of Matte Painting in VFX - Course Instructor
Developed and taught a course on Matte Painting and Concept Art, including full curriculum design and classroom instruction.
STARZ Animation (2008 – 2009)
Toronto, ON, Canada
Matte Painter / 3D Environment Artist
Worked on the animated feature “Hoodwinked 2.”
CORE Digital Pictures (2008)
Toronto, ON, Canada
Matte Painter / Texturing Artist / Architectural Consultant
Matte painter and concept artist on the TV show “The Tudors,” consulting on European castles architecture.
IMAX / Warner Brothers (2007 – 2008)
Toronto, ON, Canada
Digital Artist / Stereoscopic Conversion
Worked on “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.”
Autodesk (2007)
Toronto, ON, Canada
Art Director / CG Generalist
Created CG assets for a TED scientific presentation conference.
MTV (2005)
Toronto, ON, Canada
Digital Artist / Designer
Created digital graphics for commercials and web content for MTV.
NHL / Sport FX (1999 – 2002)
Toronto, ON, Canada
Art Director / Lead Graphic Designer
Designed NHL-licensed products, catalogs, and multimedia.
Freelance Graphic Designer / Photographer (1995 – 1999)
New York, NY
Focused on print design, page layout, and advertising design.
Nemiga Newspaper (1991 – 1995)
Minsk, Soviet Union
Staff Graphic Designer / Art Director / Photographer
Focused on print design, page layout, and advertising design.