Graduating from College and separating from his college sweetheart in 1980, a bit like a rudderless ship, Gregory traveled to the American Virgin Islands to sort himself out. In St. Croix, he wandered the white sand beaches and camped under palm trees and catamarans. On his 3^rd day on the island he was alone on a beach drawing when a man approached and asked to see Gregory’s sketches. The man was the owner of the small hotel and restaurant up the beach and invited Gregory in for a beer. He looked over Gregory’s sketches and proposed an arrangement, commissioning Gregory to do artwork for the small hotel in exchange for a roof over his head. It was a win-win situation and Gregory’s first Artist in Residence.

Since 1999, to add a unique offering to an establishment, Ang Arts and Gregory Burns have been successfully engaged by nearly forty premium resorts, cruise lines and residency programs throughout the world as the Artists in Residence with the view to raise the status of the institution and the profile of Gregory’s artwork. Gregory has been free to create numerous series of paintings in exotic locations which leads to a solo exhibition onsite. Often times visitors gain access to a practicing artist in their studio and have the opportunity to take painting classes. In several cases media coverage of the residency and the resulting series of artworks has been extensive (CNN, CNBC, Shanghai TV). Ang Arts has also produced many videos of these residencies that are posted on social media platforms.

Selected Residencies

2023               The Westin Maldives, Miriandhoo Resort, Maldives

2023              LUX, South Ari Atoll, Maldives

2021               Olympic Agora, Tokyo Olympics 2020, Japan

2019               Amilla Fushi & Finolhu, Maldives
                       Seabourn Cruises, Darwin to Singapore, Maldives to Singapore, Dubai to  Singapore                      

2018               The Brickyard, China

                       Amilla Fushi & Finolhu, Maldives

                       Shangri-La Resorts, Colombo & Hambantota, Sri Lanka

                       Seabourn Cruises, Miami to Rio de Janerio

                       Seabourn Cruises, Hong Kong to Osaka

2017                Amilla Fushi, Maldives

2016                Amilla Fushi, Maldives

2015                The Cumberland Hotel, London, UK

                        Seabourn Cruises, Canada to Florida

                        One & Only Reethi Rah, The Maldives

2014                One & Only Reethi Rah, The Maldives

                        Seabourn Cruises, Suez Canal

2013                 One & Only Reethi Rah, The Maldives

                        Shangri-La, Pudong Shanghai, China

2012                Swatch Art Peace Hotel, Shanghai, China

                        Shangri-La Tokyo, Japan

2011                 Alila Villas Soori, Indonesia

                        Sheraton Grande Phuket, Thailand

                        Seabourn Cruises, South Pacific Ocean

2010                Shangri-La Resorts, Maldives

                        The Schoolhouse, Great Wall, China

                        Anantara Phuket, Thailand

2009               Anantara Golden Triangle, Thailand

2008               Angsana Marrakech, Morocco

2007               Banyan Tree Maldives, Maldives

                        Four Seasons Sayan, Four Seasons Jimbaran, Indonesia

2006               Banyan Tree Lijiang, China

                        Banyan Tree Shangri-La, China

2005               Allila Mangas, Alila Ubud, Alila Jakarta, Indonesia

                        Hotel de la Paix, Cambodia

                        Allila Kao Yai, Thailand

2002               Oberoi Udaivillas, India

1999                Oberoi Lombok, Indonesia