THE countryside of the Dales – the limestone crags, green fields, drystone walls, barns, farmhouses and flowers – have all been captured on silk by local painter Christine Carradice.

And her work is showcased in a new exhibition, which opens at Settle's Gallery on the Green on Saturday.

Her paintings never have people in them as she prefers to show familiar scenes at the quiet time before people arrive and the day’s activities begin.

After studying English at Sheffield University and then Leeds University, Christine started her career was in finance. However, motherhood led to a career break, which became an unexpected – and very fulfilling - career change, giving her the chance to turn what had long been a hobby into a full-time occupation.

She had always enjoyed painting, embroidery and working with textiles, especially silk. She painted scarves for relatives and friends, and soon found that she could actually sell as many scarves as she could paint.

After a very good response selling at craft fairs, Christine, who has lived in Settle for 20 years, also began to sell her work in a variety of retail outlets and developed her work to include a range of pictures and cards, which also feature in the exhibition.

The exhibition runs until Saturday, July 23.