Tony Noble, who is based in a studio above Brooklands Bar on Bradford Road, has had a painting of his mother-in-law Anne Dearden and her sister Audrey accepted for the BP Portrait Award Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.

And he will also be displaying several of his pieces of Batley buildings at the Lund Gallery in Easingwold, North Yorkshire.

Tony was delighted to have his portrait of Anne and Audrey accepted by the National Portrait Gallery.

There were more than 1,700 entries for the international competition from which the selection panel chose 55 for the exhibition.

"This is the second time I have entered, but the first time I have been successful," said Tony.

"I was absolutely over the moon, it has been such a big thing for me. I have worked hard to make it the best painting I could possibly do and it has paid off.

"The BP Portrait Award is probably the most eminent portrait prize in the world."

Tony's painting was done from a photograph, although he changed the way the ladies were facing to get the mood right.

"I kept going back to them because if it is someone close to you that is something you can do," said Tony.

"Initially the composition was different with Anne looking straight at me, but I changed it to have auntie Audrey looking out of the window and Anne looking at Audrey.

"I think the way they are looking now creates a tension. There is a suggestion of what each might be thinking. It asks a lot of questions about the relationships between the two women."

Tony said his relatives were happy to be painted but could not understand why he wanted to use them as his subjects.

"They couldn't believe I wanted to paint them and when it got accepted into the exhibition I think it just compounded their disbelief," said Tony.

"I am looking forward to going down to London. Sadly auntie Audrey is not well enough to travel but we're taking Anne down. It would have been lovely to take them both.

"Anne is almost 79 but has never been to London so when we go to the National Portrait Gallery and she sees where the painting is, I think she will be amazed!"

The exhibition is in London from June 12 to September 14.

It will then go to Wolverhampton Art Gallery until November and then Aberdeen Art Gallery until January 2009.

The exhibition at Easingwold, near York, is called Urban Impression and includes work by Tony and fellow artist Tim Morrison. Tony will feature his images of Batley including buildings near the railway station, the old HSBC bank in Hick Lane and the old Regent Cinema on Bradford Road, which will go alongside Tim's paintings of York, where he lives.

It opens on June 1 and runs throughout the month.

Visit www.lundgallery.co.uk for details.