Unfortunately, the little art gallery at the rear of Oxford Town Hall — on the ground floor next to the café — is not terribly well known. This means that the really great exhibitions staged there can be overlooked. This is a shame, as the gallery is well-appointed and groups like the Oxford Art Society, whose members are showing work there now, deserve good crowds.

Once again, members of the society have put together a simply stunning show that includes some innovative works. John Stephen’s oil on canvas entitled The Three Graces (pictured), for example, certainly shouts for attention.

The women he has depicted emerge from the ancient world on to a modern canvas wearing fashionable soft blue gowns and flip flop shoes. The busy background against which the figures appear adds much to this nicely executed study.

The rustic finish that Jane Hope has given to her Onion Harvest, painted in oils, is great. While it is a simple study of a basic garden vegetable, it has an underlying depth that invites us to walk closer to the picture and remove one of the onions from the box. Mary’s Garden, painted in oils by Tivon, is a real delight.

It’s one of those pictures that has so much going on, that the more you gaze at the canvas the more you see. It is a superb study painted by an artist who pays great attention to detail.

Once again, there is only space to highlight a few of the many remarkable works by members of the Oxford Art Society, all of which deserve a mention. The exhibition continues until April 10. Don’t miss it!