An artist has won an award for three consecutive years.

Gillian Lee Smith, an international artist based in Northumberland, was recognised at the Northumberland Open Exhibition 2024.

Her painting, 'Finding Comfort in the Darkness,' won the Public Choice Award, making it the third year in a row she has been recognised at the competition.

In 2022, she was highly commended and in 2023, she was awarded the Overall Winner.

Ms Smith said: "It’s been a tremendous honour for my artwork to be recognised this way over the past three years.

"Last year felt prestigious, as a panel of judges chose the overall winner, but for me, receiving recognition from the public means so much.

"The whole purpose behind my art is to make connections and touch people who see it."

Ms Smith started her award-winning painting during lockdown.

She said: “I started this painting in lockdown and took my time to finish it as I wanted to find hope in those dark times and express this in my work.

"Many of us are still facing challenges and seeing heartache worldwide, and I hope this painting, in its darkness, can show that there is light available to us all.”