Anna Grayson

Anna Grayson is a British geologist, writer, broadcaster, and artist. She is known for bringing earth sciences to popular attention in the UK through numerous books and BBC radio and television series in the 1990s and early 2000s, particularly through the programmes Rock Solid, Postcards from the Past and The Essential Guide to Rocks. After further research, the rock was confirmed to be an unusually large sample of the rare blue mineral, aerinite.

Since completing an access course at Exeter College of Art in 2012, Grayson has pursued a second career as an artist, focusing on photographic pastiches of famous works of art. Five of her works have been exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in London, and she has been featured on Grayson Perry's Art Club on Channel 4 television.

Early life and education Grayson is the daughter of Harry Grayson, She was educated at Walthamstow High School for Girls, and went on to read geology at the University of St. Andrews, graduating in 1974. She married Dr Desmond Clark in 1976.

Media career Following university, Grayson trained as a radio studio manager with the BBC. She went on to become a producer and presenter, featuring in segments on many popular series on BBC Radio 4 and Radio 5, including Science Now, Woman's Hour, The Food Programme, and You and Yours.

From the late 1980s to the early 2000s, Grayson fronted many factual radio and television series covering a variety of subjects. Her work primarily focused on popular science and she is best known for programmes which brought earth sciences into public imagination in the UK. She was a patron of and adviser to the Dynamic Earth exhibition in Edinburgh for five years, before resigning in 1999 over concerns about the costs.

Radio +TitleStationEpisodesFirst BroadcastSubjectLearn to Earn

Television

Books

Rock Solid, The Natural History Museum, 1992 Postcards from the Past, BBC Education, 1996 Equinox: The Earth, Pan Macmillan, 2000 Equinox Book of Science, Pan Macmillan, 2001 (co-author) Level Up Maths, Heinemann, 2008 (co-author)

Contributions to public understanding of Earth Science

Blue mineral In March 1996, Grayson made headlines around the world with the discovery of a blue mineral that could not be identified by scientists.

In 1999, she won the Glaxo Wellcome ABSW Science Writers' Award for best science television, for her work on The Essential Guide to Rocks.

Combatting sexism Throughout her career, Grayson has been a vocal force in the promotion of the role played by women in earth sciences and science more generally, as well as combatting sexism directed towards her. Whilst at a promotional photocall for The Essential Guide to Rocks, she declined the photographer's request that she pass her geological hammer to co-presenter Ray Mears, on the basis that she was the only trained geologist in the picture. In 2021, the geologist Stuart Monro was reprimanded by the Geological Society for verbally abusing Grayson at a dinner in 1999. Monro was accused of "shouting, spitting, and making sexist comments." Grayson made the complaint after being inspired by the MeToo movement.

Art career In 2012, Grayson enrolled on an art access course at Exeter College. A further four more pastiches have appeared at the Summer Exhibition, including versions of Leonardo's Mona Lisa, The Kiss by Klimt, a still life depicting fossils and rocks, and, in 2024, Rembrandt's A Woman Bathing in a Stream. Her work has been featured on Grayson Perry's Art Club on Channel 4.