A woman who set up a small company to publish her own children's books is now staging her first exhibition of paintings.

Gretel Parker

Gretel Parker's work goes on show at the Costa Coffee bar of Waterstone's bookshop in Oxford from December 2 until Christmas.

It all started when people asked her for paintings based on the illustrations she used in her own Tiddler Press children's books.

"There seems to be few galleries interested in exhibiting original paintings for children, which is a pity, as there is, I'm sure, an untapped market," she said.

Ms Parker set up the Tiddler Press in Eynsham with a grant form the Prince's Youth Trust and sold 800 books under the Pocket Magic series.

She is now working as a freelance children's artist and illustrator specialising in original paintings from a small studio at her home in The Terrace, Milton-under-Wychwood.

She uses watercolour and pencil and makes use of the west Oxfordshire countryside surrounding her new home.