THE early works of an artist who has made a name for himself making outdoor sculptures using natural materials such as twigs and icicles is coming to Wyre Forest in an extensive tour of the UK.

Andy Goldsworthy: Early Works from the Arts Council Collection is on display at the Kidderminster Library Gallery from Saturday, July 9 until Saturday, July 30.

The artist, who has travelled extensively throughout Europe, America, Japan, Australia and the North Pole, uses nature as the raw material and subject of his work.

Given the short lifespan of the components of some of his pieces, photographs often provide the only lasting evidence and the exhibition at Kidderminster consists of a series of 15 colour photographs, taken between 1977 and 1979.

One is of a black soil-covered snowball sitting in stark contrast against the white of the surrounding snow, while another shows a seemingly haphazard arrangement of grass stalks on the ground.

They are taken from the Hayward Gallery on London's South Bank and will also be on display at the Ludlow Assembly Rooms during August and September as part of the national tour.

Goldsworthy has been working in photography - which he says preserves the "optimum moment, the moment when I had not just made the piece but understood the piece" - since the mid-1970s but was only able to have them printed professionally after winning a North West Arts Major Award in 1979.

The result was the series of pictures being shown in the exhibition, which Kidderminster library's assistant librarian, Liz Perks, described as "prestigious".

She said touring exhibitions, which have previously included work by Picasso, always proved popular in the town.

"I haven't seen it yet but I'm looking forward to it very much," she said of the forthcoming show.

"A lot of schools study Andy Goldsworthy for topics and projects and for people to see his early works - even if it is photographs - should be very good.

"I think it will go down well."

More information can be obtained by calling the venue on 01562 824500.

The opening hours are 9.30am until 5.30pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9.30am until 7pm on Tuesday and Thursday and 9.30am until 4pm on Saturday.