Local artist, Alena Bissinger, is looking forward to her first solo art exhibition, which will be taking place from 6th May until 2nd June at Victoria Hall, Radstock.

The Journal last caught up with Alena in 2013, when she was living in Carlingcott, near Peasedown St John, having won a competition in one of the leading internationally published art magazines, The Artist, which had chosen her pastel drawing of a golden retriever in the snow as its Christmas card image.

The prize money Alena won for ‘Snowflake’ was donated to the Secret World Wildlife Rescue charity, after she had worked alongside them to save a sick deer in fields close to her home.

At this time, Alena had only just returned to her love of art, having recently moved back to the UK after living in Thailand. Since winning the competition with ‘Snowflake’, she has collected several prestigious commissions and combined her love of painting with her passion for animals, producing some beautiful pieces that will be on display as part of the exhibtion and framed by local company, Swan Artworks, in Paulton.

Alena now lives in the grounds of Iford Manor, Bradford-on-Avon, with her son and beloved dog, Sparky, which is home to arts, opera and jazz festivals during the summer.

There will be a special preview evening of the exhibition where everyone is welcome to go along and meet Alena and see her work.

It takes place on Friday, 6th May from 7.30 p.m. – 9 p.m. There will also be a silent auction for a portrait prize, which ends on the final day of the exhibition, raising money for Bath Cats and Dogs Home, Claverton.