AN exhibition of portraits which questions at what stage a painting should be considered “finished” is on at the Miss Annabel Dee gallery, in Leigh, on Saturday.

The artist is Steve Dowson, a former student at the Royal College of Art, trained – and a tutor – at Seevic.

It is his first exhibition at the Leigh Road gallery.

Finito and Non-finito: An exhibition of Portraits, runs until Saturday March 15.

Steve explains: “Some of these paintings I regard as finished, some of them I would like to continue with, but I am happy to show them in the belief that finishing a painting is only a question of degree and the process is as important as the product.

“Sometimes what I regard as unfinished may not be improved by being taken further.

“Maintaining the fresh quality of the sketch or the under-painting in the finished work is vital.

“Perhaps when a painting has been abandoned it is a sign that the unconscious has told the pedantic internal policeman to leave well alone.

“Or maybe life just got in the way and disrupted the delicate conditions needed to bring a painting to a satisfactory conclusion. So when is a painting finished?”

The Miss Annabel Dee gallery was formed from an idea of providing a platform for emerging and established local artists to sell their work at an affordable rate.

For further information about the gallery, visit missannabeldee.co.uk