ARTIST Shelagh Powell is staging a free exhibition of her work (from today, July 3) at Barnoldswick Library.

Shelagh's early career was as a textile designer for screen printed fabrics - she has also headed a Jazz group, back-backed across Iceland and led walking and painting holidays in Greece, Turkey and Switzerland.

On moving to Craven she began painting watercolours of the Yorkshire Dales, later producing batiks from the watercolours. Since 1972 she has had many solo and joint exhibitions in the north of England and Southern Scotland, becoming well known for her sheep paintings and landscapes.

Shelagh later trained as a social worker, working alongside those living with mental health issues using her art therapy and counselling skills.

In 2001 her artwork took a new direction becoming more ambiguous, mystical and abstract. She has a studio in Cononley where she produces both figurative and abstract paintings in a variety of mediums.

She recently visited Brittany which became her inspiration for “The Journey of a Lifetime”.

The exhibition runs at the library in Fernlea Avenue until the end of August.

The library is open 9am to 5pm Mondays,Thursdays and Fridays; 9am to 1pm Tuesdays and Saturdays and 9am to 7pm on Wednesdays.