ABOUT SAIED DAI
Saied Dai is Persian by birth, born in Tehran in 1958 and came to England at the age of six. He began his seven years of art training at Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design and shortly after was awarded a place at the Royal Academy of Arts where he received his Post Graduate Diploma in Painting. There, he was privileged to come into contact with artists of real distinction such as Peter Greenham, Norman Blamey and Roderic Barrett.
He was regarded well enough to be invited back to the RA Schools to teach under Leonard McComb’s Keepership, where drawing was seen to be the cornerstone of all the disciplines. He says, “I was fortunate enough to be taught art as architecture. Drawing reveals the way an artist thinks. It is the means by which one makes visual relationships.”
On recommendation from Norman Blamey RA, Saied was also placed to teach at the Prince of Wales Institute of Architecture in Regent’s Park at its idealistic inception.After being elected to the Royal Society of Portrait Painters in 2004, he won the Prince of Wales Drawing Award in 2007, the prestigious Ondaatje Prize for Portraiture and the Society’s Gold Medal in 2006 and 2021 and finally, the William Lock Prize in 2023.
COMMISSIONS
SAIED DAI PRICE GUIDE
OIL: Starting at £18,000
DRAWING: Starting from £3,000
The prices are an approximate guide for a single portrait. Much depends on content and complexity.
Frame, travel, and accommodation expenses are not included. For double portraits or any other considerations, please ask for a quote. Saied is not currently registered for VAT.
METHOD OF WORKING
I require approximately four to seven sittings from life. Thereafter, I work substantially from the drawings and studies made, thus alleviating the number of sittings required for the painting. I am willing to travel if necessary.
NOTABLE SITTERS
- 2024-25 – Portrait Commission of Richard Haass for The Council on Foreign Relations, New York
- 2022-23 – Portrait Commission of The Rt Hon Theresa May for The Speaker’s Advisory Committee on Works of Art – Houses of Parliament
- 2021 – Double portrait of Derek Paravicini and Adam Ockleford for Roehampton University (commissioned by Dame Stephanie Shirley)
- 2019 – Portrait of Dame Jacqueline Wilson, for The Foundling Museum
- 2019 – Worshipful company of Information Technologists, London,
Architectural Commission - 2018 – Portrait of the first female Master, Debby Ounsted,
for The Mercers Company, London - 2018 – Dame Carol Black, for Newnham College Cambridge
- 2016 – Portrait of Jonathan Stedall, Documentary Film Maker
- 2013 – Dame Monica Mason, for National Portrait Gallery
- 2012 – Dame Stephanie Shirley, Philanthropist, for Balliol College Oxford
- 2012 – The Very Reverend Christopher Lewis, Dean of Christchurch College, Oxford
- 2007 – Major Charles Marriot, Yeoman to the Queens Body Guard
- 2007 – Sir Christopher Frayling (Chairman of ‘The Arts Council’, and Rector
of ‘The Royal College of Art’, London)
EXHIBITIONS
Selected Exhibitions:
2025 – ‘Inspiration,’ six person show at Beaux Arts Gallery, Bath
2025 – ‘Five Artists’, Brian Sinfield Gallery, Oxfordshire
2024 – Paul Scott Gallery, group show, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
2024 – The London Art Fair, with Panter and Hall, Pall Mall
2023 – ‘In the Mind’s Eye’, Brian Sinfield Gallery, Oxfordshire
2023 – ‘Capturing Life’: A Century of The New English Art Club, Victoria Art Gallery, Bath
2020, 2021, 2022 – The New English Art Cub at Chris Beetles Gallery, Mixed Show
2019 – Joint Exhibition, Brian Sinfield Gallery, Oxfordshire
2000 – 2023 – Royal Society of Portrait Painters
2009 – 2023 – The New English Art Club, Mall Galleries, London
2018 – New Perspectives, Messums Wiltshire
2017 – Joint Exhibition, Brian Sinfield Gallery, Oxfordshire
2016 – Lynn Painter Stainers Prize Exhibition
– Columbia Threadneedle Prize Exhibition
– Brian Sinfield Gallery
2015 – Toronto Art Fair, with Messum’s
2014 – Messum’s Gallery, Cork Street, London
– Brian Sinfield Gallery, Burford, Mixed Show
– Toronto Art Fair, with Messum’s
2013 – National Portrait Gallery, B.P Portrait Award Exhibition
– Dame Monica Mason portrait commission, for The National Portrait Gallery
2012 – Brian Sinfield Gallery, Burford, Mixed Show
2011 – Messum’s Gallery, Cork Street, London, Solo Show
– ‘Pure Gold: 50 Years of the Federation of British Artists’, Mall Galleries, London
2010 – ‘The Discerning Eye’ Mall Galleries, London
– Royal West of England Academy, Open Exhibition, invited Artist
– ‘The Magic and Poetry of Everyday Life’, Messum’s, London
2009 – Brian Sinfield Gallery, Burford, Solo Show
– Frost and Reed, London
2005- 2009 – Petley Fine Art, Cork Street, London, mixed exhibitions
2008 – Anthony Hepworth Fine Art, Bath, mixed exhibition
– Alan Cluckow Fine Art, Sunningdale, Berkshire, Three Man Show
– Girton College, Cambridge, Peoples Portrait Collection
– Quest Gallery, Bath, Solo Exhibition
– Royal Society of Portrait Painters, The Prince of Wales Drawing School Award
2006 – Holburne Museum, Bath, The Holburne Dukes Portrait Prize
– Petley Fine Art, Cork Street, London, Solo Show
2000 & 2006 – National Portrait Gallery, Selection of work from the Royal Society of Portrait Painters Exhibition
2005 – Petley Fine Art, Cork Street, London, Solo Show
2004 – The Holburne Contemporary Portrait Prize Exhibition, Holburne Museum, Bath
1990 – 2016 – Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, London (regular exhibitor)
– Nairi Sahakian Gallery, London
– B.P. Portrait Award Exhibition (Prize Winner) The National Portrait Gallery, London – ‘Young Contemporaries‘, (Prize Winner) Christies, London
– Sue Rankin Gallery, London
– Agnew’s Fine Arts, London
AWARDS
- 2024 – Speaker at Art Symposium, Messums West, Tisbury, Wiltshire
- 2023 – ‘The William Lock Portrait Prize’, Royal Society of Portrait Painters
- 2021 – Ondaatje Prize winner for Portraiture, Royal Society of Portrait Painters
- 2018 – RP Portrait Prize, Mall Galleries,
- 2016 – ‘Still Life’ Documentary Film, made by Jonathan Stedall (see YouTube)
- 2014 – winner of Changing Faces Prize, Royal Society of
Portrait Painters - 2009 – Elected to The New English Art Club
- 2007 – The Prince of Wales Drawing School Award, for Portrait Drawing,
- Royal Society of Portrait Painters
- 2006 – Ondaatje Prize winner for Portraiture, Royal Society of Portrait Painters
- 2004 – Elected to The Royal Society of Portrait Painters, London
- 2002 – BBC Documentary on Elizabeth 1, (‘Great Britons’ series) 35 pieces of artwork