The UK’s Leading Contemporary Artist In Luxury Yachts Rebecca Grant de Longueuil Opens Art Studio In West Sussex

The Girl That Paints Boats

REBECCA GRANT who is also a renowned TV and theatre actress is fourth cousins to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Her grandfather was prolific artist in the south of France - Raymond de Longueuil.

Rebecca has just opened her studio with a Coronation Celebration unveiling a painting of the The Royal Yacht. Part of a series called THE VOYAGE COLLECTION. Rebecca has just completed The Set Sail Collection. 15 paintings of 1900s luxury sailing yachts racing at Cowes Regatta. Sailing yachts that belonged to the Kings and Queens of the time. This Collection has nearly sold out with 11 being shipping to various parts of the world including Canada and California.

She cut the ribbon in front of an audience of family, friends from TV and theatre and art collectors. There was a buzz and appreciation of her work especially the various techniques and styles she uses in her yacht collections : impressionism, cubism, abstract and illustration. With her work being featured in Sussex Life, Norfolk Life, spreads in OK and Hello Magazine and collectors vying to own an original, she is soon becoming uk's top artist in yacht and boat paintings. Her work has also been recognised by the King Charles III and the Prince's Trust when she was selected for the Young Artist Award representing Nottingham. This painting which is now part of the Yellow Brick Road Collection was exhibited alongside King Charles' work at Hampton Court Palace in an exhibition called Travels with The Prince.

Upcoming exhibition
Rebecca is having her work exhibited in the South of France along with 6 generations of her family this September. The exhibition and conference is on the history of her family in New France, Louisiana, Montreal, Longueuil and then Pau in the Bèarn, then Navarrenx, and four to six generations of artists. This is in synchronicity with presenting the fight against tyranny of the Nazis in the Bèarn, and the concentration camp that once existed in the area. But the exhibition itself leads to current contemporary artists of the family. This is being presented in the stunning grounds of Navarrenx, an 11th century town with a fortress. Bond Girl and sister Rachel Grant will be attending.

The arts and background
As an actress Rebecca Grant is mainly known for her regular roles on Holby City, Doctors, Stan Lee's Lucky Man, ITV's Midsomer Murders and more recently on Line Of Duty's latest production 'Showtrial.' Little did we know that she is also a professional artist beginning her career by selling her work on the streets of Nottingham, then onto winning awards from prestigious individuals such as our current King Charles III, and Princess Alexandra. She studied under her grandfather, renowned prolific French artist, Baron Raymond de Longueuil, son of Ernestine Bowes Lyon, the first cousin to the Queen Mother. The de Longueuil line of barons originated from Rebecca's ancestor Charles Le Moyne who administered the French part of Canada and was the only Royal title appointed and recognised by Queen Victoria. Rebecca does keep her lineage under wraps as she has always believed in the merit or hard work and her craft as an actress and painter.

Acting and humanitarian work
Other notable TV performances include Sky's ‘Stan Lee’s Lucky Man’ alongside James Nesbitt playing tough lawyer Lakshi Perera, as Heather Irvine in award-winning BBC TV series ‘Doctors’, Joanna Stockerton in ‘Midsomer Murders’, Shaheen Wazir in BBC's ‘Prisoner’s Wives’, Dr Stokes in ‘Emmerdale’, Nila in ‘Other People’ opposite Martin Freeman and as Daisha Anderson as the UK's first on screen Filipina in BAFTA award-winning series ‘Holby’. Theatre wise she has played opposite Christian Slater in ‘One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest’ in the West End.

She is an ambassador for UK's charity ’Unseen’ that fights modern day slavery and trafficking, one of the world's biggest problems. To highlight this cause, she produced and starred in a short film 'Safe Space' directed and written by award winning writer Ben Hyland which has currently garnered 26 nominations and 6 awards. The film was based around survivors of human trafficking.

She is married to businessman Ivan Pierson, and they have two young children - Flint (5) and Rose (3). They currently reside in East Grinstead.

Rebecca is currently on a ship in Aruba, Caribbean and will go sailing with her uncle in the summer.

Keep up with Rebecca Grant on her official website and Instagram: @rebeccagrantofficial.

Photos appear courtesy of Laura Francis and Jim Holden