ELIZABETH Smith, known as Betty or Liz in professional circles, was an acclaimed local artist and a founder member of the Society of Floral Painters.

Her main interest was in watercolour work, but she also painted in oils and acrylic, and she won a landscape award at Dorchester Open Exhibition for one of her works in the former medium.

She was also a member of the Hilliard Society of Miniature Art, and later took up collage, specialising in colourful harbour scenes.

Highlights of her painting career included exhibitions with the Society of Floral Painters (SFP) in Sweden, and with the Hilliard Society in London's Mall Galleries.

At Castle Sofieno, near Helsingborg in Sweden, the SFP displayed her works among 300 paintings in a prestigious exhibition which was opened by a member of the Swedish royal family. The exhibition was a sell-out success.

Mrs Smith took part in the SFP's annual exhibitions at Mottisfont Abbey, near Romsey, and for many years her work appeared in the open air exhibitions in Bournemouth Gardens.

Several of her paintings were published as greetings cards.

As Betty Smith she was secretary of Boscombe Art Circle for 11 years, when they held annual exhibitions at Priory House, Christchurch.

It was at the Priory Church in 1953 that she married Colin Smith, a former sports journalist at the Daily Echo, and they enjoyed 62 years of marriage.

They had two sons, Steve and the late Gary, and Australia-based grandchildren Rachel and Liam.

Born in Romsey but brought up in Bournemouth, Mrs Smith followed a secretarial career on leaving Bournemouth School for Girls, including spells as manager's secretary at the Palace Court Hotel and the Wessex Hotel.

She began painting after taking adult education classes, and it became her great passion aside from her family, until arthritis made it impossible for her to continue working.

She enjoyed watching sport, particularly tennis, and was thrilled to see her hero Roger Federer play at Wimbledon when chance delayed his match by a day.

Mrs Smith died in Poole Hospital on May 8, aged 87. A funeral service was held on May 28.