Grayson Perry was born in Chelmsford in 1960. He studied at Braintree College of Further Education and at Portsmouth Polytechnic. In the early 1980s Perry took part in performance and film works. He now works in a variety of media including printmaking, tapestry and ceramic vases. Perry is perhaps most famed for having won the Turner Prize in 2003. His art works are often edgy and dark in content, the narratives depicted on his classically shaped pots and the Walthamstow Tapestry are at first disguised by their colourful, decorative appearance. His chosen topics include autobiographical imagery, including his transvestite alter ego Claire, as well as references to politics and commentaries on contemporary culture. Perry successfully alters people's perception of craft, elevating pottery and tapestry into the sphere of Contemporary Art. His art works stress the importance of the hand made in a time when the mass produced predominates, they also highlight the importance of skill and craftsmanship in the art world. 

Perry's work can be found in many major museum collections including: Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, Luxembourg, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, Brighton, Hiscox Art Projects, London, The Saatchi Gallery, London and Tate Britain, London.