AN art teacher is celebrating international success.

Andrew Barlow, 67, a retired engineer, is a watercolour specialist who teaches painting at evening classes at Prior Pursglove College, Guisborough.

He has been chosen from thousands of artists internationally as a finalist in a landscape competition, organised by the magazine International Artist.

The magazine, based in Australia, has a worldwide circulation.

It selected three winners and ten finalists, from entries as distant as Iceland, Iran, New Zealand, America and South Africa.

Mr Barlow, of Fanacurt Road, in Guisborough, said he was stunned to get into the top group with a watercolour of Easedale Tarn, near North Grassmere, and had not expected to hear any more about it.

He has been drawing and painting with enthusiasm since he was five years old.

But it was through his wife, Joyce, that he started painting seriously when he found he had more spare time.

He said: "My wife is a keen flower arranger and tutor.

"I used to take photographs for her and then she suggested that I started to paint and teach as well. That is how it all began."

He has been teaching at Prior Pursglove for seven years, and also teaches at Askham Bryan College in Guisborough.

Mr Barlow said he finds watercolour painting "challenging, refreshing and pleasant".