GUNNISLAKE artist Ryan Rodgers has achieved national success by being included in the Threadneedle Prize for painting and sculpture.

The largest prize for a single work of art in the country, with a £30,000 top award, the Threadneedle Prize attracts thousands of entries from which, this year, 150 paintings and sculptures have been chosen. 

The exhibition opens at the Mall Galleries, London on September 26.

A member of the artists' group Drawn to the Valley – Artists of the Tamar Valley, Ryan has previously exhibited in London, but said: 'This is without doubt, my most exciting achievement so far.' His painting, entitled 'Cover' depicts 'rather simply, an overgrown hedge'.

Ryan paints, almost exclusively, the landscape of the Tamar Valley where he has lived since 2006 and will be exhibiting at the Limekiln Gallery, Calstock, as part of Drawn to the Valley's Open Studios event between August 25 and September 2.