Roger Henry

Vivid Dachshund realist painting on blue and yellow chair by animal portraitist

Roger Henry (born 1965) Roger Henry lives in Los Angeles and travels the world for his clients. As a serious fine artist, Henry likes to take as much time as possible getting to know his subjects and explore the settings and effect of light throughout the day. Thus it is not surprising that his clientele include luminaries in Los Angeles and collectors in Europe, South America, Australia and Hong Kong. Born and raised in a small town in Kansas, Henry attended the University of Kansas on an art scholarship. He received an honors award in Art History; a special mention at the International Design Conference in Aspen, Colorado, in 1986; and a scholarship to study abroad in France in 1987. He graduated in 1988. Henry began his career on the West Coast as an Art Director for film and TV. His fascination with people and his love for dogs led him to begin his journey into portraiture in 1992. Henry finds the boundaries of art to be “as limitless as the colors in a Kansas sunset.” Henry’s paintings amaze with his realistic and vibrant handling of his subjects. His animals as well as humans have an intense quality. Hair, leaves and fabric come to life with his brushstrokes and his use of color and illumination. His earlier works were influenced by the Ash Can School; he often tells a story with his paintings. In an early work, a dog is sitting on his master’s bed, sad that his owner has packed a suitcase; in another canine family portrait an alpha and omega dog are sitting one on top of the other, very content with their arrangement. One of his original clients, Paige Powell, a curator for Andy Warhol and editor for Interview Magazine, commissioned Henry to paint her dog, Sherlock, in bed reading Trollope. More recently Henry did a series of paintings of Dina, an Australian Kelpie mix, standing in the desert documenting the passing hours with her shadow on the sand. Charleston, SC caninepainting@gmail.com 843.577.5500