HANDCUT prints, richly textured and deep in colour, by a self-taught Bawdrip artist, go on show tomorrow at Bridgwater Arts Centre (Wednesday).

Birds, Bridgwater, and the Somerset Levels have given Jackie Curtis ripe inspiration for her craft.

Jackie tells the Mercury: “I love birds. Their features make them an especially good subject for printmaking. In my monoprints I’ll push feathers into the ink to get the texture.

“As for Bridgwater, I have captured the town bridge in a couple of pictures. A long while ago I went on a history walk of Bridgwater – you don’t realise the architecture that’s around you, or where the stone’s from.

“For printing, those different surfaces and textures are just what you want.”

When she’s out and about, she’ll arm herself with watercolours or a sketchpad.

“But I’ve been printmaking for a least ten years. I can remember my dad giving me his line-cutting tools and a plaster! Then I started reading about it and gave it a go.

"I’ve done a couple of courses but other than that haven’t had any other training. It’s a fun technique.”

Birds of a Feather runs until Saturday, April 26 – opening times are 10am-3pm Wednesday to Friday, 10am-1pm Saturdays, from 7pm on Wednesday and Thursday evenings and event nights.