Born in 1957, Guy Portelli trained in Interior Design and 3-D Art and Design at the Medway College of Art. He started work in the commercial sector, first as a special effects designer for the BBC and then, after setting up his own studio, producing sculptures for the advertising and film industries. This combination of design training and technical ability provided a good professional background for his work with architects and designers. He won prestigious sculpture commissions for the London Pavilion; Trafford Centre, Manchester; and Sainsbury,s. These commissions gave him the opportunity to exhibit with galleries and encouraged him to become more creative and develop his own techniques with sculpture in bronze, mosaic and glass. His sculpture has been exhibited internationally at art fairs and in galleries.
After election to the Royal British Society of Sculpture (RBS), Portelli was invited to sit on their council, thereby developing knowledge and experience of the ethics and politics of the Art World. In 2002, he was elected to the Royal Society of British Artists and again was invited onto their council.
Along with producing his own work, Guy is also actively involved in curating and organising group sculpture events and in 2005 published Modern British Sculpture (Schiffer Publishing Ltd.), a comprehensive study of modern sculpture developments in Great Britain.