FRIENDS of Hereford Cathedral were treated to a rare insight into the process of portrait painting when Kathy Priddis, wife of the Bishop of Hereford Anthony Priddis, painted her husband's colleague, the Dean Michael Tavinor.

The live demonstration was part of the cathedral's series of spring lectures

Mrs Priddis was painting in front of about 60 people.

"There is a certain amount of struggle and risk involved in painting a portrait," she said.

"It is a process that would normally take several sittings and producing something in front of a large audience is not ideal.

"But it has been fantastic to let viewers see the process that an artist goes through when a work like this is undertaken."

Her subject was pleased with the outcome - the Very Rev Michael Tavinor said: "It was fascinating to see the image grow and the effect of different colours.

"It was hard keeping still sometimes and staring in a particular direction but it was quite relaxing sitting there for such a time.

"The portrait is a really good likeness and Kathy has really captured the way I stand in my Dean's stall in the cathedral."