David Cobley
David Cobley is one of a number of painters who have made a successful transition from the world of illustration to that of fine art (that is to day, selling work in galleries, rather than painting commissions for print). This background in illustration has given him a rather extraordinary ability to shape-shift into any kind of painter. Style is to him, something that is taken on for the individual purposes of each piece.
Self portraits are often an area in which an artist can explore different ways of working, while demonstrating to prospective clients one’s ability to paint a solid portrait. Cobley’s self portraits, and paintings of himself in the studio, are perhaps the most interesting of his work, simply for the incredible breadth of styles Cobley has experimented with over the years. One thing that unites his work though, is a very intelligent approach to colour relationships, to give an energy and psychology to each painting.
