Sheila Benson is a self taught artist who lived and worked in London and Paris in the 1990s and is now based in the rural Midlands. Much of her work has its origins in the time spent in the French capital.

"As a child on the farm I used to dream of one day living in Paris. I wanted bright lights/big city - art, music, cinema, politics and ideas. It took a long time to get there.

My most recent work was inspired by a visit to Cairo - the Paris of the East? I have been teaching myself the Arabic language for the past 5 years as some of my friends come from Middle Eastern countries and I hope to visit other capitals in the region. Although perhaps I ought to look around Britain first."