Age is no barrier as artist prepares for new exhibition

Betsy Smith, who lived in Broseley for almost 30 years before moving to France and then to Wolverhampton, is proving that age is no barrier when it comes to being creative.

Despite being 92 years young she is still painting her distinctive vibrant landscapes, a range of which will be on show at Mrs Jones Art Shop and Gallery in Coleham, Shrewsbury, for the whole of March, with an afternoon preview / meet the artist event being held on Saturday March 4 from 12-2pm.

“This will be my first exhibition in six years and I am delighted to have the opportunity to return and display my work again, including new larger acrylic paintings on canvas which are a departure. I hope to see past associates and friends at the opening,” said Betsy, who is renowned for her bold use of colour and dramatic composition.

With an ambition to paint since a young age, Betsy won a scholarship to art college when she was just 13 years old.

After leaving college she got a job designing fabrics and scarves and this was the start of an interesting career which led to work with an advertising agency in London in the 1950s, a publisher creating book covers and a fashion designer.

In addition, she combined raising a family with working in the USA and opening a shop which was also the outlet for her paintings.

A well-known member of the Shropshire artistic community, Betsy taught painting to classes in Bridgnorth and Broseley for 26 years and her paintings will go on show with sculptures by Stephen Page next month.

Faye Pearson Jones, who launched the Mrs Jones gallery a few weeks ago, said that she was thrilled to be staging the joint exhibition.

“Betsy has lots of fans in Shropshire who will be excited to see her paintings and meet her at our preview,” she commented.

“Her work will complement Stephen Page's bold, smooth sculptures which have a timeless, mythic quality. It should be a fantastic show,” she added