THE exhibition by the Artists in Mind (AIM) Group provided plenty of entertainment to visitors to Bates Mill, Queen Street South, where it formed part of the HOST (Huddersfield Open Studio Trail) weekend.

Tracey Britton, who has been with the group for four years, enjoys her colourful abstract work.

“I have also done a dancing figure and a few nudes,” she said. “I just put colours on to canvas and build them up. I like photography as well.

“I have got a lot of nudes and semi-nudes – people I know, so there are no problems there.”

She was also showing greetings cards in encaustic wax. She likes AIM, saying: “You have the freedom to explore your creativity in your own time and in your own way.”

James Fitzpatrick uses his computer extensively in his work – Photoshop and 3D Studio – made up into traditional portraits. He has also made characters in 3D. Some of his work on display included kids on the skateboard park in Greenhead Park. It is a complex programme, but all done in small steps.

“They are done for my family and my friends,” he explained.

Jenina Canegrati is doing a project on the life of birds in oils. She has been drawing since she was eight or nine and was making comic books when she was about eight. She has designed her own clothes, painted seascapes and skies in oils and held an exhibition in 2005.

One of her images is Michael Jackson doing the moon walk. There are also tiny oil paintings of London and Japanese-style paintings in gold. One of her ambitions is to see some of her work in the National Portrait Gallery.

She is influenced by the Surrealists, including Dali, likes drawing nudes and experimenting with art.

Stephanie Ingham is inspired by the magic of nature and has a degree in natural history illustration. She was showing paintings inspired by the moon, a pagan dance scene and a symbolic cat with a candle.

She has completed fire and water paintings and is inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites. Some of her work is on display in Hinchliffe’s Farm shop cafe in Netherton.

This HOST exhibition can be viewed this weekend, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5pm.

It’s bit of a trek to the Bankside Museum at Boothtown, Halifax, but there is some interesting work on view in Halifax Arts Society’s annual exhibition there.

The best in show award went to Tania Moore’s Decorative Panel, with its mixture of doorways, trees and sparkling gold prints, her Decorative Panel Two, in acrylics, is a golden, floral affair, which works well.

Kevin Mitchell’s Three Clowns (oil) bring a nice light touch to the show, and Jessica James’ Aztec Masks work well in acrylics. Daniel Francis Russell’s Family Photo in charcoal has some realistic, but not very pretty faces.

Anne Haley’s Elegance takes us back to the 1920s with its female portrait, while Kevin Mitchell’s Don’t Need Glasses Yet is a candid portrait of a chap sat reading on a form.

Among a good selection of animal pictures, there are Henrietta Hen and Proud Plumage from Janet Gledhill. Badger Cubs and Fox Cubs in pencil are by Carol Cope. There are desert camels from Charlotte Hainsworth and a fine horse portrait from Hilda McCormack.

Michael Raho’s group of cottages and field, Along The Way, has grey skies and a limited pallet which works well. Anne Haley’s Boats in Harbour is noteworthy for its clean lines and K Read’s watercolour gives is a characterful look at Staithes.

David Warburton’s Tranquility is a pretty look at a quiet canal corner in watercolours, while Julia Hawker gives us a nicely-stylised acrylic of Judy Woods.

There’s a good piece of architecture to complement the boats in Chris Lamb’s Calder and Hebble Canal, Elland.

Halifax Parish Church and the Piece Hall are strongly featured in Brian Hildred’s descriptive watercolours, while David Needham takes us further afield to St Patrick’s Cathedral, New York.

A well-known Yorkshire place of worship, Selby Abbey is a roughly and powerfully treated image in mixed media by Daniel Francis Russell. The exhibition runs until November 8.