A new exhibition of artwork in a shop and cafe features a famous painting of Felix, the Huddersfield Railway Station cat.
The portrait of Felix, which was unveiled at the station in 2016, is the centrepiece of an exhibition by acclaimed Outlane artist, cartoonist and animator Rob Martin.
The exhibition is on show in the cafe at Roebuck Home & Garden in Ruth Street, Newsome.
Roebuck Home & Garden, run by garden designer Richard Roebuck, opened in September in the former Kirkwood Hospice shop in the village.
Richard told how Rob had become a regular visitor to the shop and he mentioned the painting after Felix sadly passed away in early December.
The painting – of Felix wearing a Bronte era-style dress – had been in storage and Rob asked if Richard would like to display it in the shop.
The idea grew from there and Rob created a small exhibition of his work, which also includes three new paintings, a city landscape, some digital artwork and some cartoons.
Rob Martin (left) and Richard Roebuck at the launch of the exhibition
Richard said: “We have just opened a little cafe in the shop serving coffee, tea and cake and the exhibition space fits nicely in there.
“People recognise Felix, of course, and we’ve had a great response from people who want to find out more about Rob’s work.”
After painting Felix, Rob became known for his quirky portraits of cats, though it was something he “just fell into” and one cat turned into another.
He painted one of Gerald the York station cat, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s cat El Gato and Tango the Tiverton Tesco cat in Devon.
He also painted Todmorden’s station cat – a ginger known as both Dinky or Boris – and that portrait is also at Roebuck Home & Garden.
The exhibition in Newsome will run for about three months.