Grace Pailthorpe was born in St.Leonards-on-Sea, Essex. In the 1930's Pailthorpe contributed to main Surrealist shows. In 1936 participated in the International Surrelist exhibition in London., where her work was much admired by Andre Breton. In 1939 exhibited over 60 works at the Guggenheim Jeune Galelry in London. Was included in Women Artists of the British Surrealist Movement in 1930-1990 at John Bonham Murray Feely Fine Art in 1992. Leeds City Art Gallery held a retrospective exhibition in 1998.