Grant Oxche was born in 1977 on the Cape Flats.  After he matriculated, he studied Graphic Design at The Cape College. The reason Grant chooses African portraits as his subject matter, is because for him they represent a deeper sense of hurt and sorrow because of past apartheid in South Africa.   Human sadness is also significant to him because he feels that he can relate to it because of experiences in his life.  His paintings show an interest of light and colour which is why he was influenced by artists such as Vermeer, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Turner, van Gogh and Monet. He is influenced by the principles of Chiaroscuro because it gives the paintings a greater emotional intensity.