Born in Melbourne, Greg Irvine studied at the National Gallery of Victoria Art School between 1963 and 1966. At the start of his career, Irvine was a set painter for the Australian National Ballet, but is also a printmaker and made and exhibited ceramics and figurative ceramic sculptures. He first exhibited in South Yarra in 1965 and since then has exhibited in all states of Australia and in France and Britain. He was awarded prizes in Brussels in 1982 and Cannes in 1985.