A SCIENCE teacher who left her job to create ‘weird and woolly’ pictures enjoyed a boost to her trade during the borough’s ArtWey event.

Sally Pepperell of Portland was among dozens of artists who opened the doors of their studios in a range of venues from beach huts to waterworks for the creative extravaganza in late September.

Sally, 38, of Fortuneswell, used to teach at Royal Manor Arts College before she began to focus on her vibrant felt artwork full time.

She said: “My work is occasionally abstract but mostly local seascapes and landscapes. I try to capture the amazing shapes of the Jurassic Coast and I use felting so my pieces are a bit weird and woolly.”

The two-week-long ArtWey event involved local artists coming together as a group with an exhibition in the Essential Venue at Brewers Quay, as well as creating individual displays.

Sally said ArtWey had come at a particularly good time for her as she was just getting established in the art world.

Sally said: “I was a science teacher until the end of last term when I left my teaching job.

“For the last year I’ve been doing this on the side, I always told my parents I wanted to do art.

“This is the first year I’ve been part of ArtWey and I’ve had a really good response.

“I have a studio in a double garage and a lot of people came in every day.

“People came to my venue and then went to the waterworks on Tophill.

“It was a really nice trip for people to go from one venue to the next and for them to look at a different range of arts in the area.

“There was sculpture, painting and people were quite intrigued by mine because it was different and unusual.

“I’ve done quite well and sold quite a lot of pieces, prints and cards.

“For me it was good because I’ve just started out and it’s nice for people to come and look and get to know me.”

Sally’s work can be found at galleries along the south coast from Exeter to Bournemouth. It is also on sale at Island Gallery in Easton Square or at chesilbeachart.com