HEWORTH artist Elaine Brown is holding her inaugural exhibition at Victor J's bar in Finkle Street, York.

A fine art graduate of St Martin's School of Art in London as long ago as 1989, Elaine has taken advantage of two changes at home to channel her artistic drive into her own work: she has acquired studio space and her two sons, now nine and seven, are less demanding of her time.

Elaine, who works part-time as a graphic artist in York, has coined the term 'Colourfield' to describe her painting style.

"It's abstract in that it's not figurative, but it doesn't involve the patterns and images of abstract art."

Her influences are complex, and although her titles such as In The Heart Of The Poppy, Moorland Seas and Forever Green imply inspiration from the natural world, that is only half the story.

"It's about those moments when an action or a scene or a colour triggers a strong emotional response, maybe reawakening a forgotten memory, maybe making sense of a distant event or even a childhood rhyme, and because my inspiration has such emotional strength, that's the response I want my paintings to create," she says.

"I want to capture feelings rather than images. I want people to feel part of the picture, to be able to weave their own stories into my pictures.

"As long as they feel something about my pictures - positive or negative - I have achieved something."

Elaine's life-long passion for art was shaped by her schooldays, when her talent was her retreat.

"I'm dyslexic but that was never diagnosed at school - it just wasn't looked for like it is now - so I struggled with the academic subjects," she says.

"But when I got into the art studio I found something I was good at and from then on I just seemed to spend all my time in there."

She gained a place on a foundation course at Christ Church, Harrogate, despite lacking the minimum entry qualifications, and moved on to St Martin's, where her individual style began to emerge.

Now it is blossoming once more, and she is already working on a series of larger canvasses for her next exhibition in 2005 at Lucius Gallery, Fossgate, York.

Elaine's Colourfield works will be on show at Victor J's from Monday until December 31. Paintings are for sale at £85 upwards.

To contact Elaine, ring 01904 410758.

Updated: 10:23 Friday, October 29, 2004