Bryan Grimes was born and raised in Oregon. He was adopted at birth. "My parents, the ones who adopted me, have always been loving and supportive of me. They let me know early on that I was adopted. Growing up I felt special because in my mind they had to go out of their way to specifically choose me as their son."

Bryan was always interested in being an artist, but there was a turning point in high school where his interest took on a serious intensity. "I had been struggling with low self esteem for quite a while. Art was the one thing that made me feel good about myself. During my senior year I began to focus on myself as an artist and was beginning to turn my whole attitude around. Then my best friend took his own life. I internalized the emotional shock and began to harness that energy into my artwork. My friend had found no purpose or hope for meaning in his life. I was not going to let that happen to me." >>more