PONTYPOOL Museum is currently striking out to attract attention away from the more popular cultural capitals of Newport and Cardiff.

Now showing until June 9 is a collection of bright and colourful paintings by 41 year-old David Burton.

Leicester-born Burton began painting when his recently deceased father left him some painting materials. After a period developing his impressionstic interest Burton has now expanded his work to even include ceramics and is now working in conjunction with artist Dave Hartshorn at the Creative Cafe at Narberth.

Of his Pontypool exhibition, Burton said: "Just as time takes everything away and reduces it to the basics, my recent work has been an attempt to narrow down, to simplify, to take away.

"Controlled accident means the paint can find a life of its own, just as all life in the natural world is based on chance. Each work is open to interpretation, people will make of them what they will, good or bad.

"By opening up the possibilities, by being able to see what you want to see rather than what you forced to see by a straightforward representation, then a far greater reality is achieved. It brings into question everything that we accept in the world - the question of life itself."

See for yourself at Pontypool Museum.