FIRST it was Bangkok, Jakarta and Hong Kong and now it’s Worcester as batik artist Margret Hallmark gears up for an exhibition of her work at Spetchley Park.

Forged during her adventures on the Hippy Trail in the 1970s and titled East meets West, it will be held over the weekend of Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2 in the Cart Shed Learning Centre of Spetchley Gardens.

The exhibition will a look back through her skill in the batik process on silk and how her travels in Asia influenced her art.

Fascinated by the art of Asia in the early 1970s, Margret, who now lives in Whittington and is married to lawyer/historian husband David, travelled to south-east Asia to study its history and ancient techniques.

She explained: “At the time I had met up with four young men who, like me, did not feel ready for the daily grind of a nine-to-five job with taxes and a mortgage.

"We all craved adventure. The five of us met up in a Birmingham pub one Sunday lunchtime and, with David’s inspiration, we planned a trip overland to Bangkok.

“I had just completed two years as an art lecturer on Birmingham and was keen to travel to Malaysia to visit a university friend who was then head of art and textiles at Kuala Lumpur Art College.”

Margret, David and a third member of the group Neil Carmichael rented a house in Bangkok where she began developing her art career, teaching, staging exhibitions and meeting ex-pats who loved her work which was a blend of Western art and design with Oriental subjects.

She added: “My work sold well to international businessmen and their wives and my career blossomed.

"My hand-painted batiks depicted Birds of Paradise, butterflies, tropical flowers, palms and banana trees as well as patterns from local temples and were made into silk evening dresses and sarongs as well as wall hangings.”

Along with private commissions there were exhibitions in Bangkok, Jakarta and Hong Kong.

Margret’s paintings were reviewed by Arts Review London which said: “These batik paintings on silk are of extraordinary beauty and depth.

"Exotic but more universal. Exquisite craftsmanship and a sure sense of colour, her eastern themes evoke the profoundest feelings in western sensibilities and a pathway through the Thai jungle can become a path to understanding.”

Margret’s exhibition runs at Spetchley Gardens from 10am until 4pm on both days and entrance is free.