LARGER than life paintings by a North-East artist which celebrate cellulite and feminine curves are going on display.

Sarah Jane Szikora takes her inspiration for the bountiful bosoms, rounded thighs and ample bottoms from the people in the region.

The essence behind her work is the unrestrained enthusiasm for life which she sees in her home town of Darlington.

She paints not to ridicule obesity, but to encourage a positive, healthy attitude within herself, "contrary to the skinny body shapes promoted through the image-obsessed media".

Although she believes men suffer too, she acknowledges that it is predominantly women who feel physically inadequate and become preoccupied with criticising and punishing themselves.

She said: "I respond to social issues within my work - for example, turning around the negative relationship that women have with their bodies, thanks to the media presenting perfect airbrushed models for us to live up to."

Growing up, Ms Szikora made frequent trips to her father's native Hungary, where she encountered for the first time the larger than life women who appear in her paintings today.

Having attended Harrogate College, in North Yorkshire, where she studied art and design, she was fascinated with life drawing, where her passion for portraying the human form began.

Her paintings are an affectionate take on their larger than life characters.

Choc Mate features two voluptuous women playing chess, but with the standard chess pieces replaced by chocolates.

Devilicious shows a curvaceous woman's dilemma of whether to give in to the temptation of cake, with a plump devil offering her a slice and a skinny angel offering an apple.

Ms Szikora said: "I draw my ideas from observing people and human behaviour.

"If I am struggling with a blank canvas, I take myself off to a local town centre, where before me I find endless supply of imagery to inspire me.

"Often, I need only to see a mundane scene such as the purchase of a bag of chips and I'm on my way."

The exhibtion, Fat & Fab, will be on show at the Halcyon Gallery, at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham, from Saturday to March 24. Admission is free.