"Known for her irresistible anthropomorphic animal portraits, Friend blends classical techniques with a distinctly mischievous imagination. Drawing stylistic inspiration from the Old European Masters, Friend's oil paintings capture the secret lives of animals when we're not looking. At once humorous and heartfelt, Friend's work invites viewers into a world where animals embody the quirks, tenderness and contradictions of being human."
"This exhibition began with the idea of a Book Club - animals pictured in the quiet company of books. A charming notion, but soon far too narrow. The creatures in my head are not inclined to sit politely within one theme. They wander, they loiter, they turn up in unlikely places, carrying with them the wit, tenderness, and character I find irresistible to paint."
"The "bite" in Love Bite speaks of the moment - small, fleeting instances laced with the irreverence I enjoy painting. But it also suggests something with more edge: love that is tender or playful, but also surprising, unruly, and occasionally a little wild. Together, these works form a tasting plate of my painted world - moments that draw you in, raise a smile, and perhaps leave you hungry for another bite."
Alison Friend creates oil portraits of anthropomorphic animals that combine Old European Masters techniques with a mischievous imagination. The paintings reveal imagined private lives of animals, merging humor and heartfelt emotion to explore companionship, curiosity, and everyday absurdity. The project originated from the notion of a Book Club of animals with books but expanded into a wider, unruly cast including dogs, bunnies, bears, and pigeons. The works range from intimate to bold, offering short, witty vignettes—bite-sized moments that are tender, playful, occasionally wild, and designed to provoke smiles and emotional recognition.
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