A grandmother of seven has opened her own gallery after completing a fine arts degree.

Nancy Howard-Price opened the Bedford Gallery in St George’s Road, Kemptown, Brighton, to coincide with the Brighton Festival and Fringe.

Many of the 75-year-old’s works are exhibited in the gallery, as she has recently obtained a 2:1 degree in fine art from Northbrook College in Worthing.

Mrs Howard-Price only took up painting ten years ago after retiring from her job as a health visitor.

She even underwent a hip operation half way through her degree course, but says that painting is something she was always destined to do.

She said: “My fingers always itched to paint but I only took it up when I retired.

“I started evening art classes and the teachers encouraged me to apply to do a BTEC in art at Brighton and Hove City College.

“When I went for the interview I didn’t know anything about painting whatsoever and when they asked who my favourite artist was I said I didn’t have one.

“The interviewer advised me to go on a pre-foundation course but then as soon as he looked at my paintings he said ‘you can start in September’.”

After passing the BTEC, Mrs Howard-Price took a five-year part time fine art degree. She underwent a second hip operation in November, but plans to take a masters degree in the subject in September.

She said: “The degree was quite an achievement. I really enjoyed it. The teachers were wonderful and the other students were various ages and all very talented. It gave me great encouragement.”

Most of Mrs Howard-Price’s paintings feature abstract landscapes and are based around the Brighton area. The main highlight of the gallery is a 20ft by 6ft landscape of the four seasons.

She said: “I try to evoke the spirit of the landscape and it is lovely here as you can always go out to the Downs and the gardens.

“It is absolutely wonderful to be painting after all these years. But I don’t think in myself I would have been ready to paint beforehand.”

The gallery will be open from 11am until 6pm during the festival.