An exhibition of paintings based on archives from the Helston Folk Museum is being held at Kestle Barton.

Painter and printmaker, Nicola Bealing, has created a series of paintings inspired by the museum archives after unearthing fascinating stories and finding poignant and exciting ways to represent them in paintings, thanks to funding from Arts Council England.

Nicola's artistic style involves creating figurative and fictitious imagery inspired by fish, animals, insects and humans of all shapes and sizes. Her work is often a dark and perceptive commentary on human nature in both natural habitats and unexpected ones.

The artist's latest exhibition is a unique opportunity to see Nicola weave her creative compositions from stories of historical, local interest from the archive related to identity, crime and punishment.

Paintings in the exhibition include one entitled 'Heraldic Zoo', which is about the animals that can be discovered as architectural details on buildings in Cornwall. The painting has them depicted as specimens in pickling jars.

There is also a series of paintings entitled 'Absconded Apprentice', which are about a girl aged 17 who ran away from her master in mid-winter.

Nicola's exhibition, entitled Death and Circuses, is at Kestle Barton until September 4.

Nicola, who has a studio in the CAST building at Kestle Barton, made a successful application to Arts Council England for the project which is now on display.