By JOEL SAWYER

FOUR years ago, Phyllis Owen had a vision which took her out of the depths of despair and led her to what she believes is her true calling in life.

And this week, that same vision saw the 49-year-old mature student put on her first major exhibition of her deeply personal art work, outside of her Art and Design Foundation Course at Warrington Collegiate, at Birchwood Shopping Mall.

It is an uplifting example of a remarkable turnaround which has seen her find faith in God, her true calling in life and success.

Phyllis, from Penketh, said: "Someone saw my work at college and said it should be on show. So I spoke to the Golden Square shopping centre, who said I should try the Birchwood centre - and the manager said no problem.

"Now I've been commissioned to make six murals for the mall, which is being refurbished for its 21st birthday this year. I am going to be working with schools and am really pleased."

All this is a far cry from the position Phyllis, a former gymnastics teacher, found herself in four years ago.

She said: "I was going through a really bad patch. I was really low and had nowhere to go. But then I had a dream in which God pulled me out of a ditch and gave me a paint brush and said 'paint'.

"That was four years ago and I started to write poetry. Then I started making the pictures to go with the words about two years ago. I absolutely adore it. To be able to see something in my mind and bring it to life is amazing.

"I feel this is what God wanted to me to do. So much has happened in my life with regard to my faith. Whatever I do, it is part of me."

Her 18-year-old son, Paul, also goes to the college to study A-level art and Phyllis thanked his teacher, Morris Riley, for his "magnificent" support in getting her exhibition together.

Phyllis can be contacted on 07788 551 780.