Meet the Bath-based artist painting stunning scenes from Glastonbury Festival

West Country artist Valérie Pirlot was asked to paint in plein air at the festival Credit: @valeriepirlotart

An artist from Bath was invited to capture the colour and atmosphere from Glastonbury Festival in a series of ‘en plein air’ - or outdoor - paintings.

Valérie Pirlot captured the vibrant essence of the Worthy Farm extravaganza by due to her style of painting outdoors with the subject in full view.

She said: "I’m always looking for the next thrill so I was over the moon when Glastonbury asked me to come and paint at the festival. I knew there would be an abundance of subjects to paint, full of life, light and colours.

"It’s not often you get such a concentration of joy in one place," said Valérie Credit: Valérie Pirlot

"It was my first time at Glastonbury so it was really thrilling but a little bit daunting too. I like to be slightly out of my comfort zone and challenged to do something I haven’t done before because it gives me a rush of adrenaline and it means I might produce unexpected results and surprise myself in the process," she added.

Valérie began her work at the festival on Wednesday - the day the gates opened. She said: "On the first night we were blessed with the most magnificent sunset that we watched with thousands of people from the top of the hill. A truly magical experience."

Valérie started as a landscape painter but now also paints interiors, people, still life, and public events like Glastonbury. Credit: Valérie Pirlot

Valérie who is originally from Belgium, is based in Bath. As a local artist, she wants her work to act as a reminder to festival-goers of all the memories they make over the weekend.

"I want people to look at my Glastonbury paintings and get an instant rush of all these emotions and be transported back in that moment," she said.

"I would like them to hear the music and the laughter as they look at the painting, and add their own story to it.

"Seeing Glastonbury through my painter’s eyes was a real treat I will never forget," the artist told ITV News. Credit: Valérie Pirlot

"I never thought it would be so big, so colourful, so magical. I also loved connecting with people. Many came to talk to me while I was painting and they were all so nice and happy," Valérie added.

Glastonbury organisers have asked to get the first look at Valérie's paintings once she has finished working on them. One of the festival team has previewed the work, which will all go on sale on her website around the end of July.

Glastonbury-goers can get hold of one of the outdoor paintings next month. Credit: Valérie Pirlot

When asked if she would like to come back next year, Valérie told ITV News: "I feel a lifetime won’t be enough to capture everything at Glastonbury so I have a lot of catch up to do and can’t wait to be back again."