David Cobley was born in Northampton, England in 1954. After dropping out of art school at the age of eighteen, Cobley traveled around Europe and spent almost ten years studying and working in Japan before returning to England in 1985 as an illustrator and contemporary artist.

David Cobley has been drawing and painting people since childhood. This fascination with the human form has been a constant passion to Cobley in his paintings. He says: "My paintings are almost entirely about the figure - the human form as it is illuminated, as well as concealed, by the light that falls upon it or around it. Using the effects of light, painting can create the illusion of solid form in space; while at the same time blur distinctions between the two. The medium of paint also enables another kind of illusion to come into play - that of the figure emerging from, yet dissolving into, the pigment which gives it life. In the half-light between highlight and shadow, painting offers the tantalising possibility of drama, intrigue and magic."

Cobley is now well established as a superb portrait artist. His serene and reflective paintings of the female nudes demonstrate outstanding mastery of paint, tone and composition. But David is equally talented as a successful artist of Still Life and Landscape paintings.

David Cobley contemporary paintings can be found and have been exhibited in many art collections including: London Art Galleries such as The National Portrait Gallery, The Victoria Gallery which is an Avon Art Galleries together with Gloucestershire Art Galleries and Oxfordshire Art Galleries

David Cobley has undertaken numerous portrait commissions. These include: The Princess Royal Princess Anne, Ken Dodd OBE, Steven Berkoff and in 2019 the BBC asked Cobley to undertake a painting of Sir David Attenborough as a celebration of his life in broadcasting. He has also painted many other high profile public figures

Cobley was elected a member of: Royal Society of Portrait Painters in 1997; New English Art Club in 2000; and Royal West of England Academy in 2001.

In addition to Red Rag British Art Gallery David Cobley art work has been exhibited at other leading British Art Galleries. Each painting at Red Rag is sourced from the David Cobley artist studio and like all Red Rag British art and Contemporary art it can be shipped worldwide.

This is the Red Rag British Art Gallery website page for Portrait paintings from leading contemporary artists. Red Rag Gallery has a great collection of contemporary British Art which extends to Portrait paintings. The art of Portrait painting has existed for centuries. Historically, portrait paintings were primarily commissioned by the rich and powerful. More recently portraits are more likely to be of families and colleagues and are commissioned by individuals, governments, corporations, groups and clubs.

Each featured artist in Red Rag British Art Gallery portfolio of contemporary Portrait paintings can be viewed by clicking on the artist name. Information on price, size and availability for portrait paintings can be viewed by clicking on the image of each portrait.

Each contemporary Portrait painting shown on the Red Rag British Art Gallery website has been sourced from the art studio of artist. This guarantees you that the paintings are genuine pieces of contemporary art from the artist.

Red Rag British Art Gallery is open every day for the purchase of British Art and Portraits. For all purchases of contemporary Portrait paintings Red Rag British Art Gallery offer a worldwide art shipment service

Many Red Rag British Art Gallery artists are available to undertake your own portrait commissions. A portrait commission is a special and very personal art piece. It is useful to remember when you commission a portrait that you are engaging in an interpretation of the sitter through the eyes of the artist. Visiting the artist, seeing work 'in the flesh' and talking through details of the portrait commission is all part of the portrait painting process. Portraiture artists at Red Rag include Darren Baker, David Cobley , Simon Davis and Charles Hardaker

To view the Portrait art work of each artist simply click on the artist's name or image. If you would like to purchase or require further information about Red Rag British Art portrait paintings please contact the gallery.