SO popular was Haslemere Art Society’s 123rd annual exhibition, extra display space was required to show all the entries.

More than 100 members and invited guests gathered at Haslemere Museum on Friday for the private view of the exhibition, which continues until Saturday, September 16, and features more than 260 exhibits.

Haslemere Mayor Malcolm Carter presented Clare Bowen, who has also won through the first round of this year’s Royal Institute of Oil Painters open exhibition, with the Alan Thomson Award for her painting of the Georgian Hotel.

Committee member Maggie Harker said: “It was a great success.

“We had more entries than usual, and the lecture hall and the Haslemere room were so full, we had to have extra display tables.

“Chairman Kaja van Walt and committee member Rachel Vitolo and their helpers had to work particularly hard to put it all up.

“Contributing artists include president Roger Dellar and the sculptor David Paynter.

“There are also two ’People’s Choice’ awards voted for by visitors to the exhibition, one is for painting and the other for sculpture, craft and ceramics. It will be interesting to know who the winner is.”