A DARWEN art student’s sculptures created with the help of a Blackburn firm have been featured in a display at the Saatchi Gallery in London.

Natasha Peel, 21, is one of 20 artists featuring in the New Sensations exhibition for young artists in October, having beaten competition from more than 800 entries.

The Blackburn College graduate, who studied fine art at Oxford University, created a series of plastic sculptures aimed at subverting the branding of major institutions, such as Goldman Sachs and HSBC.

The sculptures were created using equipment from Blackburn-based Silicone Engineering Ltd, who sponsored Natasha’s work.

She said: “The show is part of the Freeze exhibition, and they have have big shows like this in a lot of countries.

“This is the big one in London that happens every year and it’s a big deal. A lot of people from all over the world come and see it.

“Quite a few famous artists like Tracy Emin and Damien Hirst have featured in Freeze, and Mr Hirst finances the New Sensation show now.”

The show’s sponsors include Channel 4 and The Times, both of which Natasha hopes will feature her work.

She said the display has brought back her love of creating works of art.

She said: “I was disappointed that I didn’t get a first in my degree so I was sort of giving up on my art, but it is reassuring to see that people like it.”