IT was watching her father paint watercolour landscapes that inspired Lynne Dobson to pick up a paintbrush.

As a child Lynne would sit and paint with him at the table, and the pair went on to exhibit their work together.

"Art has been a part of my life from an early age," says Lynne. "When I was a teenager I had a few exhibitions with my dad. He always encouraged me and entered me for every art competition going. His job was a scenic artist, he had links to the Bradford Civic theatre (now Bradford Playhouse), and in his own time he liked to paint landscapes in watercolours. I started out doing watercolours too then developed my own style."

Lynne, who is from Undercliffe and now lives in Fagley, went to Huddersfield Art School and Birmingham Art College. She teaches art at Peel Park Primary School and runs school art clubs.

A keen promoter of children's art, she opened an art gallery in Bradford city centre in 2011, showcasing work by youngsters aged between five and 18. The Bradford Children's Art Gallery was based at Broadway, as part of arts organisation Fabric, but lost its premises when work was underway on the shopping centre.

"I had work sent to me by children throughout the district, I framed it and put it on display. It was a great way of showcasing the artistic talents of young people, there's a lot of talent out there," says Lynne. "It was a big success. Many pieces were purchased and displayed elsewhere in the country - one went as far as America. I loved the gallery but unfortunately we had to close, and I can't afford to rent other premises."

Working with youngsters, Lynne often spots talent at an early age. "In the art club the focus is on fun and do artwork that we wouldn't do in the classroom. If I find a child who shows a bit of talent I try to push them further and work up to more advanced projects. It's so important to have art and music in schools and it's a real shame we can't get children's work exhibited in a gallery."

She would also like to set up an art group for families new to the city, arriving from other countries. "Getting involved with art would be a release, a form of expression, for them and it would be a nice social venture too," she says.

Lynne is a member of Artbound, a community arts group which promotes the work of local artists, and she has had work showcased at venues around the region. Earlier this year she had an exhibition at Hebden Bridge Town Hall and she also has artwork on display at The Handmade Alternative on Godwin Street, Bradford. Prints, cards, notebooks and coasters taken from Lynne's paintings, and handpainted mugs, are available at Handmade Alternative and on the ARTbound website.

"I use acrylics on canvas and occasionally pencil and pen and ink. I work mainly in a semi-abstract style and I love bright colours," says Lynne. "I'm drawn to moorland scenes and often paint from photographs taken by friends of mine who are in a Yorkshire photography group. I take my own photos too, or sometimes I'll paint a scene that's just come out of my head. I love Yorkshire landscapes, particularly sunsets and wild moorland scenes and heather.

"My art tends to be influenced by a sudden idea or mood, and I veer off in different directions. If I get an idea I just have to paint."

Vibrant colours leap from her canvases. Deep blue waves meet an orange, sun-filled sky, a lone tree bends against the wind as it howls through a stark moor top, and purple heather is scattered across another moorland scene, like a vivid carpet. Local scenes Lynne has captured on canvas include the Cow and Calf rocks and railway viaducts.

Recently Lynne has ventured into ceramic painting, producing sets of handpainted and signed mugs featuring a variety of themes.

"I wanted to do something different, so began to experiment with ceramics with scenes, changing season and tattoo drawings painted on," she says. "I do commissions, I'm doing a portrait at the moment, but I would like to exhibit more."

* For more about Lynne Dobson's work, or to get in touch, email her at red4paint@yahoo.co.uk

* For more about ARTbound visit artboundcommunity.com