There’s a personal story behind every relationship between a dog and its owner. These stories have long fascinated artist David Remfry RA.
In an era when dogs are more likely to have Instagram accounts than appear in exhibitions by Royal Academicians, David Remfry has worked for over 15 years on a series of portraits that reveal the connections between people and their canine companions.
Remfry began his evocative pencil and watercolour portraits while a resident of the infamous Chelsea Hotel in New York. He was captivated by the moving tales of how they came to find each other and the mutual understanding and sympathy of these partnerships. Some of these stories appear alongside the works presented in this special exhibition. Over the years sitters have included celebrities Alan Cumming, Susan Sarandon and Ethan Hawke, and their pets.
David Remfry is a contemporary British born painter best known for his large-scale watercolours, often of people dancing, his landscapes of New York and his portraits of residents and friends painted and drawn during his time in New York City. Now living and working in London, he has also curated several exhibitions, notably the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition 2023, and was recently a Professor of Drawing at the Royal Academy Schools.
Images
La Tasha Simmons and Kahlua, by David Remfry RA. Image credit: Marcus Leith
David Remfy RA, We Think the World of You exhibition. Image credit: Phil Adams
