THE Grinton artist, Mike Bilton, who came third in last year's Dover Prize open exhibition in Darlington, is showing a selection of his recent small paintings at the Old School Arts Workshop in Middleham.

He moved to Swaledale five years ago after 30 successful years of teaching at Loughborough college of art and design.

His pictures have been exhibited in galleries throughout the country, and recently his output of work has increased dramatically, with the production of some exceptionally powerful and well-constructed large paintings.

It is the first time he has exhibited at the Middleham gallery, run by Mr Peter Hibbard and his wife, Judith.

The selection is of smaller, more intimate works, all multi-layered in mixed media, mostly connected with landscape or seascape observation and produced with a strong feel for texture and surface content as he seeks out the atmosphere of the various environments he explores.

The show is one of several organised by the gallery for the millennium year. It is open from 10am-5pm every day except Tuesdays. This show runs until November 13