TALENTED young artist Ashleigh Arnold, a student at the Wensleydale School and Sixth Form in Leyburn, is to exhibit one of her pictures along with professional artists in London.

The work, Frustrated Girl, was put forward by the Wensleydale Decorative and Fine Arts Society whose members visited the school last summer at the invitation of art teacher Louise Webb to view its A-level exhibition.

The society selected three pieces to put forward for consideration in next month's Royal Society of British Artists' annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries.

Ashleigh’s picture is one of only 36 works chosen from hundreds put forward by NADFAS societies throughout the country. The exhibition opens on March 17 and runs until April 2.

Jackie Pope, chairman of Wensleydale DFAS, welcomed Ashleigh to the group's December meeting at the Key Centre in Middleham and presented her with a certificate and cheque to help cover her exhibition costs.

Chosen work by the A-level students is currently on show at the RBA’s Rising Stars exhibition at Lloyds Registry Gallery in the City of London until March 11.

The National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies is a network of more than 360 groups across the country which works to advance decorative and fine arts education and appreciation as well as promoting the preservation of artistic heritage.

It runs a Young Arts Programme in collaboration with the Royal Society of British Artists for the above exhibition. For details about the Wensleydale group, email rosalindhigson@btinternet.com.