AN UP-AND-COMING artist enjoying success at his first independent exhibition has said he draws much of his inspiration from his "spectacularly beautiful" Oxford hamlet.

Francis O'Neill's distinctive oil paintings depict the area around Binsey, beside the River Thames in West Oxford.

They are on display at the Jam Factory, in Park End Street, Oxford, until the end of this month.

His subjects include the River Thames, Port Meadow and Binsey-band The Epstein - one of Oxford's most popular groups.

Mr O'Neill, who settled in the hamlet after growing up in Stockport and the Solomon Islands, said: "The exhibition has gone very well so far.

"One of the paintings, Misty River, has sold for £4,900 and I have sold 100 copies of my book The Stick Man's Guide to Life and Art.

"The attraction of Binsey is a combination of the creativity of the people that live there and the place itself. It's the best of both worlds.

"It is spectacularly beautiful and thankfully it has been protected from developers.

"Perhaps because it's on the floodplain it is such a lush area and it's beautiful at night, in the winter and in the summer.

"I think the people that live there also appreciate it a great deal."

Having passed his A-Levels at 16, Mr O'Neill gained a fine art degree at Edinburgh College of Art.

After painting in Italy, USA, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, he became an artist in residence at St Mary's School in Wantage before it closed in 2007. He now regularly teaches at Trinity College, East Oxford Community Centre and Sunningwell Arts Centre.

As well as his landscapes, Mr O'Neill said The Epstein made an interesting subject matter.

The five-piece have a cult local following, and recently got a four-star review in Rolling Stone magazine for their album Last of the Charanguistas.

They won an Emerging Talent competition at Glastonbury last year, scooping a place on the festival's bill.

Mr O'Neill said: "There is a lot more going on in some of the paintings of the band.

"There is one of them playing at the Holywell Music Room that contains five portraits - which is quite ambitious."

Speaking of Epstein frontman Olly Wills, also from Binsey, he said: "It's great to work with someone who you appreciate creatively.

"I feel there are parallels between the way the band and myself have gone and it's great that we're both getting success now."

The Binsey Collection exhibition runs until next Friday at the Jam Factory. Entry is free.