In photos: charming and colourful illustrations by Lyndsey Smith show the buildings, street scenes and people of Sussex

Lyndsey Smith is well known for her charming illustrations that depict people's homes and businesses, as well as the county’s variety of residents.

Lyndsey, who grew up in Burgess Hill and now lives near Lewes, is a member of the Society of Graphic Fine Art, as well as the Sussex Watercolour Society.

She said she has had a life-long passion for drawing and can often be found walking and sketching on the South Downs when she’s not receiving commissions for street scenes.

“It’s all watercolour and illustrative,” said Lyndsey. “I love to paint people and houses and pubs and I try to put a bit of history in it if I can.”

Last year, for example, the owners of Anthony Hole and Sons bike shop in Burgess Hill were thrilled to receive artwork by Lyndsey that depicted the store over the years.

Other Sussex locations painted by Lyndsey include: HJ Stoner & Son in Burgess Hill, G Wood and Sons in Burgess Hill and Dockerills in Brighton.

The artist has also created plenty of illustrations for Christmas cards and calendars, and has painted iconic locations outside of Sussex, including Westminster Abbey, Leeds Castle and Sandringham Estate.

Lyndsey said one of her specialties is ‘big buildings with people outside’, which can be transferred to cards or calendars to be sold in shops. She said: “I’ve done a lot of work for Harvey’s Brewery, and painted their calendar for three years. They have an annual calendar, which is sent to customers and pubs.”

Lyndsey also paints charity fundraising greetings cards every year that support the Sussex Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (SASBAH) and St Peter St James Hospice. She added: “I am currently working on a range of Zodiac greetings cards and a digital children's magazine.”

Lyndsey aims to make her pieces lighthearted and fun with many of her scenes being populated by happy, upbeat people.

She said: “If I can I’ll visit and take photographs for one of my commissions. Then I’ll work from the photographs in my studio rather than sit outside and do it all. I’ll draw it all out, make a rough drawing in pencil, and then when I'm satisfied with the rough version, I ink it in and watercolour on top.”

People can see more of Lyndsey’s work in the next Society of Graphic Fine Art exhibition, which runs from Monday to Saturday, March 10-15. at the Mall Galleries, The Mall, St James’s, London SW1Y 5AS.

Lyndsey said: “People can see what I am currently working on, including my sketching, on my Instagram account @lyndseysmithart and I have a small gallery of work on my website www.lyndseysmith.co.uk.”