WORK from a local artist will be on show in a west Dorset gallery.

Paul Matthews is exhibiting his work at The Old Chapel Gallery in Abbotsbury. He has enjoyed painting and drawing since he was young, and five years ago, chose a career as a full time artist. Paul now paints wildlife and portraiture from his home in rural Dorset.

The subject takes centre stage in Paul's contemporary wildlife paintings, with the mood set by light and shade.

Recently Paul travelled to the Okavango Delta in north Botswana and has previously visited Kenya and Tanzania. Paul’s work attracted wide acclaim in the summer of 2012, when he was a finalist in the David Shepherd Foundation’s competition for Wildlife Artist of the Year. His picture, The Passenger, was selected ahead of thousands of entries from all over the world and received the public’s choice award at The Mall Galleries, London. Almost simultaneously Paul was in the final of the BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year competition, receiving runner up in the Frozen Planet section with his polar bear portrait. This was the fourth year Paul was shortlisted for the final of the BBC competition, since it was established in 2008.

The exhibition will open at the gallery following a preview tomorrow (30) from 6.30pm.

For more information, please call 01305 873950 or email gallery@theoldchapelgallery.co.uk