A housewife-cum-artist who was asked to paint the Queen’s beloved pet dogs in her signature “child-like” style has landed a spot in an exclusive exhibition by The Kennel Club.
By a twist of fate, Cindy Lass’ painting of the Queen’s corgis and dorgis – a cross between a corgi and a dachshund – was spotted by Nick Waters, a canine art historian and trustee of The Kennel Club Arts Foundation, who fell in love with it at a school workshop show.
Now it forms part of an exhibition celebrating the Welsh Corgi League’s 75th anniversary, among artworks hung in the auspicious Kennel Club’s Mayfair headquarters in Clarges Street.
It is the only print to feature in the exhibition of original works from the royal collection, as the Queen has kept the original in her private quarters, said Mrs Lass.
It features the Queen’s corgis Linnet, Monty, Holly and Willow, and dorgis Cider, Candy and Berry, painted in Mrs Lass’ signature “naive, even child-like” style.
The Kennel Club likes it so much, Mrs Lass has agreed to let them keep hold of it after the exhibition, called The Welsh Corgi In Art And Literature.
Mother-of-two Mrs Lass, a self-taught painter who lives off Abbey Road in St John’s Wood, painted the dogs from a photograph after Buckingham Palace got in touch to request her services shortly before the Queen’s 80th birthday in 2006.
She said: “At the time I was also visiting terminally-ill children at University College Hospital,” she said, “and I asked some of them to go to Buckingham Palace with me to deliver it to her.
“I heard from her lady in waiting that she was over the moon with it and hung it in her private quarters because she liked it so much. It was quite uplifting [to know] that it made the Queen smile!
“Now they have asked me if they can permanently hang it in The Kennel Club, which is a great honour. My mum was pretty proud.”
-The exhibition runs until July 19 at The Kennel Club art gallery, open by appointment only between 9.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. Call 020 7518 1064 or email artgallery@thekennelclub.org.uk to book.
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