David Cobley, RP RWA NEAC
David Hugh Cobley was born in Northampton on 27 June 1954. He grew up in Higham Ferrers and was educated at the country primary school there before going on to Wellingborough Grammar School and Northampton School of Art. He did not finish his course at Liverpool College of Art in 1972 where he was briefly taught by Welsh landscape painter Peter Prendergast. He completed a degree in Comparative Culture at Sophia University during his nine year stay in Japan.
After working as an illustrator he began painting portraits and was shortlisted for the John Player Portrait Award, now the BP Portrait Award, in 1989. He was elected to the Royal Society of Portrait Painters in 1997, and was commissioned by the Inner Temple to paint HRH The Princess Royal in 2000. His portrait of the comedian Ken Dodd was bought by the National Portrait Gallery for its permanent collection in 2005.
Cobley now lives near Bath. His work covers many themes, but he continues to be fascinated by the human form, and by the way we think and behave. He is probably best known for his work as a portrait painter, with now two of his portraits in the National Portrait Gallery. In addition to the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Cobley is also a member of The Royal West of England Academy (2001) and the New English Art Club (2003).
After working as an illustrator he began painting portraits and was shortlisted for the John Player Portrait Award, now the BP Portrait Award, in 1989. He was elected to the Royal Society of Portrait Painters in 1997, and was commissioned by the Inner Temple to paint HRH The Princess Royal in 2000. His portrait of the comedian Ken Dodd was bought by the National Portrait Gallery for its permanent collection in 2005.
Cobley now lives near Bath. His work covers many themes, but he continues to be fascinated by the human form, and by the way we think and behave. He is probably best known for his work as a portrait painter, with now two of his portraits in the National Portrait Gallery. In addition to the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Cobley is also a member of The Royal West of England Academy (2001) and the New English Art Club (2003).
