WILTSHIRE portrait painter, David Cobley, whose art includes studies of Princess Anne and the National Ballet, is exhibiting work at the Beaux Arts gallery, in Bath, in his first one-man show.

Mr Cobley, from Westwood, near Bradford-on-Avon, who is based at Widcombe Studios, in Bath, has won numerous awards and is one of the country's most sought-after portrait painters.

The exhibition at the gallery in York Street, which runs until June 8, features work that 47-year-old Mr Cobley says is closest to his heart.

He said: "I am known really for portraits but my main drive has always been towards the human form.

"I am interested in how we look set against different patterns of light and how that can be brought about on canvas. These are the paintings that I have on display."

Mr Cobley said he is delighted that this is the first exhibition devoted solely to his work.

He said: "I have been wanting to put on a show purely of my own for some time now but I have spent the last two or three years working on these paintings to get the exhibition right."

Mr Cobley recently completed an informal portrait of Princess Anne standing in a sunlit door, which will be displayed at the Inner Temple, London.

Previous commissions have also been made by Sir Tim Sainsbury, the Royal Navy and Whitbread plc.

Entrance to the exhibition of 40 paintings is free.