artist Virginia Pope will be raffling one of her paintings to raise funds for the Devon Air Ambulance at an exhibition of her work over the weekend of May 28 and 29.

The exhibition, 'Countryside Matters', takes place at Outer Down just outside Chagford, and is the culmination of several years' hard work for Virginia. There will be 50 pieces of as yet unseen artwork on display.

Virginia said: 'A show like this takes years to create and it is over so quickly.  If one painting can touch just one person then it will all have been worthwhile.

'I hope with the rest of the family, children will go along and then look for their own pencils and paints when they get home. Remember, art has no rules.'

Virginia paints in oil, water-colour and pastel, with her love of animals, birds and the Dartmoor countryside being the common link throughout much of the work that will go on display.

She has previously exhibited with the Society of Equestrian Artists at Christies, the Stable Gallery London, the Century Fine Art Gallery in Windsor and, more recently, as part of the 'Inspired by the Horse' exhibition in the Salar Gallery, Hatherleigh.

Nicholas Skeaping, who is helping to hang the artworks, said: 'Virginia has worked steadily, painting pictures that excite, amuse and stimulate the emotions of the viewer.

'Most of the paintings are a technical tour de force in pastel, oil and watercolour.'

Virginia is donating an original water-colour painting entitled 'Auld Lang Syne' for the prize draw. Tickets for the draw will be available at Outer Down during the event.

The exhibition will also have the launch of 'Words on Birds', a pocket book of poems, narrative verse and a short piece of prose, written by Jenny Wren in her Devonshire dialect.

The exhibition runs between 10.30am and 5.30pm on both days. The venue is on the road from Chagford to Kestor Rock, and will be signposted along this road from the centre of Chagford.

For further information on the exhibition, e-mail Virginia on [email protected]">[email protected] or visit her website at http://www.virginiapope.com">www.virginiapope.com