TWO of the region's most highly acclaimed painters are joining forces for a British Art Show fringe event that is being hosted by Duchy Square Centre for Creativity in Princetown this month.

Amanda Pellatt and Heidi Koenig will be showcasing a series of vibrant works in the exhibition entitled Spellbound, which will be on the theme of creative ways of seeing the Westcountry environment. Spellbound runs from September 17 to October 16.

 Both artists have used the unique coastline and landscapes in Devon as the inspiration for their display of paintings that will coincide with the British Art Show, being staged at a variety of locations in Plymouth.

Heidi, who runs a printmaking studios from Kigbeare, near Okehampton and a painting studio near Tavistock, describes her work for the show as 'a mixture of colour, spontaneity and occasional glimpses of representation'.

'The colours of summer are abundant throughout my latest work.

'Even on the short walk to my painting studio in the back garden, my senses are bombarded with colours,' said Heidi, who is also taking part in the forthcoming Devon Open Studios event from the studio at Kigbeare.

'Longer walks on Dartmoor give the paintings a real sense of space. There is a representational element to my work when I start and then it becomes more abstract.'    

Amanda, who works from a base at Dartington Hall, said the natural environment in Devon generated a quality of light and intensity of colour that was both exciting and challenging to replicate on canvas.

Amanda said: 'This exhibition is a visual response to the South West peninsula's earth, sea and sky and one cannot help but be awe- inspired by the incredible colours that all these elements can create.

'We are calling this exhibition spellbound as we hope visitors will be spellbound by the incredible beauty that surrounds us every day in this wonderful part of the world.'

Both an artist and ecologist, Amanda has been working extensively on local social and environmental issues from Dartington Hall, a renowned centre where arts, social justice and sustainability come together.

She is also currently exhibiting work as part of Devon Open Studios, which runs from now until September 18.

Meanwhile Spellbound is one of the most eagerly anticipated exhibitions on the calendar at Duchy Square, which is establishing a growing reputation for staging high profile shows across a variety of artistic disciplines from its base in the heart of Dartmoor.

For more information on workshops and the exhibition programme at Duchy Square, telephone the centre on 01822 890828 or visit http://www.duchysquare.org">www.duchysquare.org where contact details for all the artists can be found.