A WEST Devon artist has been invited to America to take part in a high profile art project designed to raise international awareness of sufferers from the aftermath of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Painter and sculptor Nick Viney from Yelverton flew out last week to assist communities in the Grand Isle area of Louisiana living in the shadow of the disaster zone, by creating graphic portraits highlighting both the human and ecological catastrophe it has caused.

She will be donating her time and talents, empowering Gulf Coast residents to bring to the world's attention not only the scale of devastation wrought by the spill itself, but the terrible health problems being caused to humans and wildlife through the use of the neurotoxin Corexit to clean up the spill – a substance banned in the UK.

Entitled Facing the Gulf —Portraits of Oil, the artwork created during the six week project will be entered into a forthcoming portrait competition sponsored by BP — the oil giants held responsible for the Deep Water Horizon disaster.

Nick will be helping fishermen and oil workers from the local communities to create portraits showing the physical health problems, such as skin lesions, that people are suffering as a direct result of the disaster.

She said: 'This is probably the most exciting creative project I have ever been involved with, a project of global significance and one which I hope will be a catalyst for change at the highest level.

'Media attention of this disaster may have waned in recent months, but away from the international spotlight, every-day ordinary communities are continuing to live with the terrible consequences of this spill and the dreadful impact it has had on both people and our already fragile ecosystem.

'It was an opportunity I could not afford to miss and I fervently hope it will help reinforce the message that with the kind of corporate power enjoyed by companies like BP come environmental and social responsibilities that must not be ignored or allowed to be flagrantly abused.'

Nick was invited to take part in the project in the wake of her highly acclaimed Gulf exhibition held at Duchy Square Centre for Creativity in Princetown last October.

The show focussed on the nature of corporate greed and excess, using the Gulf oil spill as a topical theme.

Exhibits included 11 striking oiled sea bird sculptures as an artistic tribute to the 11 lives lost when the spill happened.