AN artist and illustrator from Malvern is looking forward to her first ever solo exhibition.

Rachel Blackwell, 31, will be exhibiting her paintings – including some never-seen-before pieces - at Malvern Library from Tuesday, November 3, to Monday, November 30, at the library’s gallery café.

She has also been commissioned to paint a large mural in the newly renovated children’s section of Malvern Library.

Miss Blackwell said: “I make cheerful, imaginative and whimsical paintings, which often have more in them than first meets the eye such as hidden animals or fairies. T

“The landscapes of the paintings are often based on areas of Malvern and include things you may see or imagine on the hills such as hedgehogs, owls and dragons.”

2015 has been an “exciting” year for Miss Blackwell with some high profile commissions to paint large-scale sculptures Including an owl sculpture for the Big Hoot in Birmingham and a heart sculpture for the Love Meadowhall project in Sheffield.

Her owl called Swirly Whirly Birmingham Owl-land raised £4,200 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

Miss Blackwell is an artist and illustrator specialising in paintings of a whimsical world called swirly whirly land - an imaginary land filled with crooked cottages, loopy chimneys, hot air balloons, sparkling stars and button flowers.

She graduated from the University of Worcester with a degree in fine art practice in 2011 and has since had her work exhibited at galleries in London, Birmingham, Exeter, Malvern and Worcester.