Port staff and customers were among the first people to get a look at a collection of new paintings depicting the port’s relationship with the city.

ABP Southampton’s Artist in Residence Lee Campbell unveiled her work at a preview event ahead of its public exhibition later this year.

Lee is the first ever Artist in Residence in the port’s history and was appointed to capture the unique relationship between the port and Southampton as part of the city’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

She kick-started her project by creating drawings and oil on paper sketches from photographs taken during her first visit, when she intrepidly explored the city’s sites.

The sketches, or studies as they are called in art, have informed the larger paintings she produced for the exhibition.

The private viewing, which took place at SeaCity Museum, included a welcome speech by ABP director Southampton Nick Ridehalgh.

Lee said: “The vast scale and size of the port was quite a challenge. In my final painting, Panoply, I drew parallels between the city and the port, incorporating both historic and modern architecture, to portray its unique relationship.”

Nick added: “It was fantastic to see all of Lee’s work on display and share it with our loyal customers. The pieces truly capture the unique relationship the port has with the city and it was a great way to commemorate the city’s 50th anniversary celebrations.”

The exhibition is due to go on public display in Southampton later in the year.