A YOUNG artist is preparing to share her characterful and colourful cows with the nation at a Spring fair, in Birmingham, this week.

Lauren Terry, a former pupil of Lady Lumley’s School, in Pickering, started her unexpected venture as an artist two years ago when she wanted a painting for her wall.

“I’ve always had a thing for cows and decided I wanted a painting to hang on my living room wall,” she said.

However, when the 24-year-old took her first painting to be framed in her home town of Scarborough, the gallery owner was so excited by the painting that he persuaded Lauren to paint 20 more so he could hold an exhibition of her work.

“Lauren’s Cows” has been growing as a business ever since, exhibiting at small venues and craft fairs, such as the Rural Craft Association.

However, she has recently set her sights on bigger horizons, including the greetings card market.

Lauren said she realised from day one that the most noticeable thing about her paintings were how much they made people smile.

“That’s when I knew how successful they would be as greetings cards,” she said.

“If something makes you smile, you want to share it with someone else. Now people can send a cow and pass the smile on.”

Lauren said she was both elated and terrified to be a part of the Spring fair. “But hopefully this will mean big things for the cows and people will be seeing them on the high street shelves soon,” she said.

The fair features a wide range of companies and products and sells to businesses worldwide over a course of five days. It will be held at the NEC Birmingham until February 7.

Lauren’s work can also be seen online at www.laurenscows.com