AVEBURY artist Kerry McKenna is realising her dream by opening her own shop.

Mrs McKenna, 40, has been creating her slate artwork for five years and now she is opening Art On Slate in Studley Grange Craft Village, inside Blooms Garden Centre, Swindon, to keep up with the demand.

Mrs McKenna said: “I am interested in the magical and mystical and standing stones like Stonehenge and Easter Island.

“I started painting these scenes onto slate when I found out that scraps just get thrown away, so my husband reshapes the slate for me to paint onto.

“I took one of my pieces to the Henge Shop in Avebury and asked if it was of any interest and they said yes.

“Shortly afterwards they asked for 50 by the following week, so I stayed up all night and day to get them finished in time.

“I’ve also started putting prints onto slates and selling those and they’ve been really popular. I’ve sold them in Europe and America as well.”

Mrs McKenna is also a professional singer and shoppers will also be able to buy her music at the new store, as well as request personalised pieces.

“I’d never planned to be an artist, I joined a band as a singer when I was 16 and before I started painting I was a professional musician.”

Slate On Art will open on January 26 and Mrs McKenna has invited 100 people to the launch.

The lucky guests will be treated to wine and tea to celebrate the grand opening.