AN amateur artist is to see her first work exhibited in a gallery after taking up painting just 11 weeks ago.

The impressive rise of Meg Childs began when she picked up a brush for the first time less than three months ago.

More than 45 paintings, later she now has paintings in Billingham Art Gallery's open art exhibition, which starts on Thursday.

Mrs Childs, of Kirk Merrington, near Spennymoor, County Durham, was ill in bed and watched the television programme Watercolour Challenge, which shows viewers how to paint.

Inspired by the programme, Mrs Childs' husband, John, brought her some watercolours, much to his wife's annoyance. She said: "I was so angry that he spent £28 on paints and I said, 'This is ridiculous'.

"I had never painted in my life.

"But now I'm painting absolutely anything I can lay my hands on.

"I still have my first work, which looks as though it was done by a five-year-old, and I still make lots of mistakes, but I thoroughly enjoy it."

Mrs Childs, who spent 12 years as a laboratory technician and now works as a musician, learnt most of her skills from North-East artist Charles Evans, at his art workshops.

The open art exhibition at Billingham is a collection of work by professional and amateur artists from throughout the North-East, and runs until May 26.