As well as sampling the culinary delights of Kirkby Lonsdale's Avanti Restaurant, there's an added treat for the discerning eye with a tasty portion of art on the menu.

And from what I've experienced on the arts trail over the years, restaurateurs can do a lot worse than have the creative efforts of an artist on show, supporting, not upstaging those of the main act, the chef.

Paintings of Popular Music and Sport runs at Avanti on Main Street until April 25, courtesy of Hexham-based artist Dave Barden.

Dave's images tap into the world of jazz, popular music and sport, drawing on his experiences as an athlete and a major passion in his life music.

Born in Sheffield, Dave Barden studied Fine Art at Sheffield College of Art and Design from 1962-67.

After pursuing a career as an art lecturer, first at Stockport College and eventually at Northumbria University, the creative Mr Barden now works full-time as a artist from his studio in Hexham.

His paintings and drawings of sport, which he first developed as artist-in-residence at Wentworth Leisure Centre, Hexham, have been exhibited widely in galleries, art centres and leisure centres throughout the UK and in Europe.

Dave is a keen athlete himself and in 1992 was a commissioned artist at the Olympic Games in Barcelona. The resulting paintings were exhibited at the prestigious Olympic Museum, in Lausanne, Switzerland, with his work now a permanent fixture of the collection.

One of his most successful sports commissions was a portrait of Jonathan Edwards, the Olympic triple jump champion. It was presented to Jonathan during the ceremony in 2000 when he was awarded the Freedom of Gateshead.

Others include swimmers in the Union Rooms, for a Wetherspoons pub in Newcastle.

During the past three years, Dave has explored new subject matter in his work, developing imagery from his love of popular music, particularly jazz and song. Using as reference his own collection of sheet music, musical instruments, magazine photographs and records, he has produced an impressive range of paintings and collages.

Commissions are flowing in and Dave is busy creating a diverse and exciting range of images based on jazz and blues musicians such as Charlie Parker, B.B. King and vocalists Billie Holiday and Nina Simone.

Avanti is on 015242-73500.