Born in 1957, son of U.S. Foreign Service parents, Gregory Burns began swimming in the White House pool after contracting polio as a child while his family was living abroad. Learning how to live with crutches and braces, Gregory Burns started travelling the world while studying art, regardless of any limitations his polio-weakened legs could present him with.

Encouraged by the freedom and beauty his journeys offered, he began surfing and scuba-diving which provided an intimate view into the worlds' oceans and shaped both his art and career as a professional swimmer. Representing the US at the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Paralympic Games, he won five gold and silver medals and broken four world records.

Since then, Gregory Burns started redirecting the passion he once reserved for sports into the art world, navigating the world sketching and painting. Quickly gaining international acclaim, his work has been shown in dozens of solo and group exhibitions in sixteen different countries, with Burns teaching in thirty artist-in-residence programs around the globe.

He is also the recipient of the United States Sports Academy's 2016 Sport Artist of the Year award. Through travelling and exploring, he pulls in a diverse collection of colours and imagery with which he tries to synthesize and portray the beauty of nature and the power of the human spirit.

During one of his trips, Gregory Burns found himself immersed in the enchanting tropical surroundings of Amilla Fushi and, suddenly inspired, he created his 'Made in Amilla' paintings series.

Coming back to the Maldives, a place that has so radically influenced his work, Gregory will host two artist-in-residency programs:

  • Amilla Fushi, 16th-30th  November – One of the most unique Maldives luxury resorts, Amilla Fushi is a celebrities favourite and is located in the beautiful UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll
  • Finolhu, 1st-15th December – A refined, retro-inspired island paradise for the fun-loving beach-erati, Finolhu is the ultimate island experience for chic couples, fun-loving families and gatherings of friends alike

During the two-week long programs, participants will learn how to master painting techniques, both in private or group classes