FAST, intimate and sometimes touching sketches of childbirth will provoke a wide variety of reactions in an exhibition at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital.

Canadian-born artist, poet and novelist Heather Spears has been drawing childbirth live for more than 30 years in maternity units across America and Europe.

In her exhibition, entitled "Drawing the First Breath", she has selected from more than 100 drawings of childbirth and 25 sketches of neonatal infants.

The 81-year-old, who lives in Denmark, said: "When it started I was drawing for my own interest in hospitals but once I got in I was absolutely fascinated, thinking 'I'm the only artist in the world who can draw premature babies'.

"People interested me most and this was a new branch of people no one had every drawn.

"My work is very accurate, it's used in medical education."

All drawings were made and are exhibited with permission from both staff and parents, who often ask for copies.

She also draws private commissions for parents who have experienced the loss of a child either when she is called in by supportive midwives or later, from photographs.

The exhibition opened on August 6 and runs until September 17, but Ms Spears will make a personal appearance at the hospital on September 7.

Ms Spears is staying in Oxford during the exhibition and can be contact by email on spears.heather@gmail.com