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Holly’s Ark: A joyful menagerie of colourful creatures from Holly Frean

From racoons and llamas to giraffes and dogs, farm animals to endangered wildlife, dogs to beluga whales, Holly’s Ark is a veritable A to Z of British artist Holly Frean’s favourite creatures. "It features all the characters that have been keeping me company in the studio for the past year" says Holly.

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A densely packed collection of painted dog faces in various colours and coat patterns, featuring Holly Frean's characteristic quirky style with simple features and expressive eyes

Known for her witty, quirky portraits painted onto unusual surfaces (cardboard squares, paper plates, wooden palettes), her latest exhibition features several of Holly’s trademark multiple ink-on-paper animals, in which she presents a number of small, individual paintings as one work.

The exhibition also features 41 original illustrations made for her wallpaper and fabric designs for interior design house Andrew Martin, a selection of ceramic sculptural figures walking ‘two by two’ through the gallery, and some new characters, including the fated Dodo, join the collection.

Holly’s work has been exhibited extensively in the UK and America. Commissions include those from the Duchess of Northumberland, designer Betty Jackson, comedians Russell Howard and Ricky Gervais, actor Russell Tovey and retailer Johnny Boden. Holly's imaginative works have also led to textile, ceramic and wallpaper collaborations with Anthropologie, Burberry, Andrew Martin and Paul Smith.

Holly’s Ark runs from 3 to 24 November at Zimmer Stewart Gallery, and you can discover more of her work at hollyfrean.com.

Illustration of a blue dodo bird with a golden head and feet on textured cream paper, from Holly Frean's exhibition Holly's Ark
Simplified greyscale illustration of a dog's head in profile on cream paper with rough edges, featuring a small white eye and black nose
Two black rabbits stacked vertically on cream paper, with white eyes and outstretched hind legs, rendered in ink by Holly Frean
Green crocodile with open jaws and pink mouth depicted in Holly Frean's characteristic ink-on-paper illustration style
Dark reddish-brown bison painted in ink on textured paper with loose, expressive brushstrokes
Ceramic sculptural figures of two people standing close together on a wooden base, part of Holly Frean's walking 'two by two' collection
Black ceramic bear sculpture standing on a cream-coloured rectangular base against a white background
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