SEA into Shadow is the title of a new exhibition of paintings by Leyton artist Victoria Rolfe.

In her latest work Miss Rolfe, 28, of Dawlish Road, goes one step further in the exploration of time and memory since her February exhibition at Stratford Picture House.

The art teacher at the City of London Academy in Bermondsey uses her spare time to paint, write music, poetry and her novel.

Her work follows the image of the sea because, she says, the sea is constantly changing, as memories change over the course of time and still retain their essence.

Miss Rolfe draws on her book for inspiration, using a typewriter or painted words to include extracts of her writing.

She said: "My book is a study of how memories form your identity and how you change according to what has happened to you, how what you go through changes your understanding of things.

"In the paintings there are personal statements about things which have happened to me, but I have used them in a context which people can relate to. They are open, as my pictures are, so everybody will have their own interpretation."

Miss Rolfe hopes to develop her art at the Royal Academy in the future.

The Sea into Shadow exhibition runs until next Thursday at the Red Gate Gallery in Coldharbour Lane, SW9, open from 2pm to 6.30pm every day except Sunday.