david cobley

David was born in 1954, and has been drawing and painting since early childhood.

He trained at Northampton and Liverpool Schools of Art and travelled around Europe and the Far East, living in Japan for almost ten years before settling with his young family in Bath. For a number of years he worked as an illustrator, but gradually painting took the place of illustration.

In 1996 he set up Bath Artists' Studios (formerly Widcombe Studios) in what used to be a Victorian infants' school. The Studios provides affordable studio space, art classes, talks and exhibitions, and he still has a studio there. In 1997 he was elected a member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, and served as its Honorary Secretary for four years.

Among his commissions to date are The Princess Royal, and in 2004 his portrait of Ken Dodd OBE was bought by the National Portrait Gallery, London for its permanent collection. He regularly exhibits at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, and his paintings are in demand throughout the UK, as well as in South Africa and the USA. He has held solo exhibitions in Bath, London and Tokyo, and won numerous prizes for his work.

David Cobley in his studio

Between Themselves III (detail) - Oil on linen

CURRICULUM VITAE

Solo Exhibitions

Victoria Art Gallery, Bath 2007
Messum's, London 2005
Beaux Arts, Bath 2002, 2004
Widcombe Studios 1997

Open Exhibitions

The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005
The Discerning Eye 1998, 2000, 2001
The Hunting Art Prizes 1999, 2005
The BP Portrait Award 1995
The John Player Portrait Award 1989
The Metropolitan Museum, Tokyo 1982

Selected Group Exhibitions

'The Drawing Room', The Royal West of England Academy 2006
'Naked' at The Royal West of England Academy 2004
The Royal Society of Portrait Painters 1989, 1995, 1997 to date
Royal West of England Academy 1989 to 1994, 1996 to date
The New English Art Club 2000, 2001, 2003 to date
The Holburne Portrait Prize 2002, 2004
People's Portraits (touring exhibition) 2000
Three Man Show, Yamagata Gallery, Tokyo 1984

Awards

Llewellyn Alexander Award 2004
Public Prize, The Holburne Portrait Prize 2004
Prosigns and Graphics Prize 2002
Andrew Brownsword Prize 2001
Daler-Rowney Award, RWA 1999
Public Prize, RWA 1999
Tom Rice Gallery, Dublin, Award 1999
John Brandler Prize 1993
Short-listed, John Player Portrait Award 1989

Collections

The National Portrait Gallery
The Victoria Art Gallery, Bath
People's Portraits, Girton College Cambridge
The Inner Temple
The Royal West of England Academy

Portrait Commissions include

HRH The Princess Royal, Princess Anne
President Bashar al-Assad of Syria
Ken Dodd OBE
Steven Berkoff
Richard Briers
Dame Alicia Markova
Stephanie Cole
The Lord Mayor of London 2000
Sir Timothy Sainsbury
The Dean of Westminster

Publications

Art Class: A Complete Guide to Painting, Jennings & Bulgin
The Portrait Now, Nairne & Howgate
50 Wessex Artists, Evolver

Memberships

The Royal Society of Portrait Painters (elected 1997)
The Royal West of England Academy (elected 2001)
The New English Art Club (elected 2003)
Bath Society of Artists (elected 2000)

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