IT may sound like a new scandi-noir police thriller, but Corruption on Bent Copper is in fact the latest exhibition of popular Lyme-based artist Julie Oldfield’s metal-based paintings.

These works of art will grace the walls of the Town Mill’s Malthouse Gallery from August 11 to 23.

Julie's inventive and distinctive work uses the natural rusting, oxidation and corruption of copper, brass and aluminium sheets as the foundation for her mixed media land and seascapes.

She adds pastels, spray paints and other media to build her paintings, often scraping away materials to expose the pure metal beneath. The combined textures and raw metal give a light that glistens from deep within the waters and vegetation.

She said: "I've been developing and refining my work on metal 'off cuts' for a few years now. It is exciting and often surprising and challenging to use the random corrosion patterns and colours that develop as I leave the metal sheets in my garden for a month or two.

"I often use acids and alkalis to accelerate or change the chemistry on the metals,” she adds, “The resulting colours inspire different ideas and images that I can develop. Some of my paintings take months to complete as I take the work in and out of my garden to continue the weathering process and build the textures."

Julie will also be showing work on more traditional canvass and board, using similar techniques that involve weathering, scraping and building layers of mixed media. Her innovative work has been gaining national recognition, most recently on show in the Mall Gallery, London as part of the annual Society of Women Artists exhibition.

*Corruption on Bent Copper, Malthouse Gallery, Town Mill, Lyme Regis, open daily from 10.30am-4.30pm, August 11 to 23. Admission is free and more details can be found at towmillarts.co.uk and julieoldfield.com