SIDMOUTH artist Beth Pearson is looking forward to the official start of her latest exhibition after it received a positive response during late night shopping.

Entitled Moving On, the show, at East Devon Art Academy, in Old Fore Street, has a private view on Friday, 6pm-8pm and runs until December 19.

People Christmas shopping in town on Friday evening were able to take a sneaky peek. This led to one of the pieces being sold.

Beth, 46, said: “There was a lot of interest from late night shoppers.

“People said how nice it was to see some serious fine art on display.

“I feel really optimistic about the exhibition, going on the response the work received on Friday, because that was only a fraction of what will be available.”

Beth has previously staged two exhibitions at Kennaway House, and has had her work displayed at galleries in Totnes, Exeter and Sidmouth.

The academy has a gallery space, to complement the studio space, workshops and courses it offers. Beth became friends with its founder Cathy Osbond while renting space at the gallery Cathy had in Libra Court, so was keen to exhibit there.

“It’s Sidmouth’s newest gallery, and the more support it gets the better,” said Beth, of Sid Park Road. Beth studied foundation art at Exeter College and has a degree in fine art painting and printmaking. With Moving On, she wants to show how her work has progressed in recent years. “I’ve used all the elements that have proved popular in my previous work to create new pieces,” she said.

The pieces will be available framed, unframed and on cards. For more information visit www.bethpearsonart.com.