THREE talented women artists are about to launch their second annual exhibition in Malvern.

Ann James, Beth Barnes and Wendy Townsend are all members of Malvern Art Club and between them paint flowers, animals and landscapes, although they differ in style and approach.

Ann James and Beth Barnes both have backgrounds as technical illustrators, but whereas Ann is interested in painting architectural features of landscapes, Beth prefers botanical detail.

Ann began painting in watercolour seven years ago, when she attended classes at Malvern Hills College.

"I shall be showing mainly watercolours, although pastels are my favourite now, after someone gave me a book by Aubrey Phillips," she said.

Much of her work features local landmarks, such as Worcester Cathedral, Mal-vern Priory, Powick Church and Gloucester Docks, together with some pet studies and still life paintings.

Beth Barnes specialises in painting showy flowers and exotic animals in pastels or in oils on silk, but she is concentrating on flowers at present.

Having recently graduated from University College Worcester in art and design, she has now enrolled for a further course in botanical illustration at Birmingham University.

"Botanical painting used to be flat, but it is much more three dimensional now. I want my painting to be a faithful botanical representation of the flower, but so stunning and so perfect that you feel you could smell it," she said.

Wendy Townsend has been painting for 35 years, using watercolours and acrylics, as well as oils.

She paints both flowers and landscapes and has successfully turned some of her paintings into Christmas cards, including a distinctive view of Christmas lights in Barnards Green on a wet winter day.

She has also painted the view from her garden overlooking the Malvern Hills at different seasons.

Each of the artists aims to show at least 10 new paintings in the Three Local Ladies Summer Exhibition, starting from the August Bank Holiday weekend.

It will open in the Sir Barry Jackson Room at Theatre House, Grange Road, on Saturday, August 26 and will run until Saturday, September 2.