Left: OK Ian, you've shown us you can paint, now get the trains running on time too.

An artist has taken up residence at a railway station: and it's thought to be the first scheme of its kind in the country.

Connex South Eastern is sponsoring Ian Lawrence as artist in residence at St Leonards Warrior Square station in East Sussex.

Ian enjoys free use of a studio and galleries in return for working in the community.

Each term, the abstract artist works closely with a different local school. Ian said: "I demonstrate my work and help in the classroom but the children's exhibition is the best bit. It's such a wonderful experience to create a work of art. The joy of other people seeing it just adds to the excitement."

Ian, who works mainly in watercolour and gouache, bases his art on the South Downs:"I paint from memory but I am not attempting to recreate the detail. I try to evoke the feelings of the countryside, not the fences and cows," he said.

"The colours can be quite vivid to help show those emotions. At first I was nervous about how the children would take to the idea of abstract. But because of the colours they really reacted well to them. It was heart warming and rewarding."

Ian has exhibited in London and many galleries in the south including the Fairfax Gallery, Tunbridge Wells, for the past three years.

Rail passengers will soon be able to see Ian's pictures on the walls of the Warrior Square waiting room.

Every Wednesday in July Ian will hold an open studio to give people the chance to see the resident artist in action.