Alison Friend
(b. 1973, UK)
Alison Friend is a British artist known for her whimsical, anthropomorphic animal portraits. A graduate of Nottingham Trent University with a degree in Fine Art and Printmaking. As an accomplished children’s book illustrator, Alison has illustrated over twenty books to date for notable publishers, including Harper Collins, Nosy Crow, Hodder Children’s, Templar, Usbourne, Little Tiger Press, Alfred Knopf, and most recently, Artisan.
Friend’s oil paintings combine the timeless techniques of the Old Masters with a playful contemporary twist, capturing the human-like antics of cats and dogs. This distinctive style has attracted collectors worldwide and earned her exhibitions across the UK, Los Angeles, New York, and Miami, including the London Art Fair, Frieze Seoul, Art Jakarta, British Art Fair, Context, Manchester Art Fair, Royal Academy Summer exhibit, and Outsider Art Fair.
Based in the Lake District with her son, Alison continues to imagine, paint and share characters that charm, surprise and connect with audiences everywhere.
EXHIBITIONS
2027
Solo Show, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Group Show, London Art Fair, Klein Editions, London England
2026
Group Show, Frieze Seoul, KaiKai Kiki Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
Group Show, KaiKai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Solo Show, Liberty, Seventy Five, London, England
Group Show, Art Basel Hong Kong, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Hong Kong, China
Group Show, Frieze LA, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Los Angeles, California
Group Show, London Art Fair, Klein Editions, London, England
Group Show, Hashimoto Contemporary, San Francisco, California
2025
Group Show, Context Art Fair, Harman Projects, Miami, Florida
Solo Show, Love Bite, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Group Show, Frieze New York, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, New York, New York
Group Show, Art Basel Hong Kong, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Hong Kong, China
Group Show, Frieze LA, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Los Angeles, California
Group Show, London Art Fair, Klein Editions, London, England
Group Show, Hashimoto Contemporary, San Francisco, California
2024
Group Show, Frieze Seoul, KaiKai Kiki Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
Group Show, KaiKai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Solo Show, Liberty, Seventy Five, London, England
Group Show, Art Basel Hong Kong, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Hong Kong, China
Group Show, Frieze LA, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Los Angeles, California
Group Show, London Art Fair, Klein Editions, London, England
Group Show, Hashimoto Contemporary, San Francisco, California
2023
Group Show, Context Art Fair, Harman Projects, Miami, Florida
Solo Show, Love Bite, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Group Show, Frieze New York, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, New York, New York
Group Show, Art Basel Hong Kong, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Hong Kong, China
Group Show, Frieze LA, Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Los Angeles, California
Group Show, London Art Fair, Klein Editions, London, England
Group Show, Hashimoto Contemporary, San Francisco, California