A DARING exhibit from a Ryde artist centred on her challenging past work.

Donna Jones spent 31 years in Sheffield, working alongside 'at risk' teens and the victims of human trafficking, using creative arts.

Now the artist is using her recognisable style to talk about her past and pose questions about the perception of social issues.

Donna said: "I want to use my own and others’ challenging life experiences in my work.

"I have worked with young people who have been abused physically, emotionally and sexually; drug users, sexually trafficked, those who self harm, violent young men, and those with drug-induced paranoia, schizophrenia and mental illness.

"I do not shy away from exploring these traumatic experiences in my paintings or my poetry.

"My ‘simplistic’ images can, at the outset, shock, I hope they will make onlookers question their own perceptions of ageing, sexuality, disability, homophobia, murder, menstruation and the abuse of power within relationships.

"I want my work to challenge emotionally, and politically."

Donna's work was recently exhibited at Monkton Arts, Ryde.