A west Wiltshire mayor paid tribute to a late friend and artist at the launch of a gallery dedicated to her memory on Saturday.

Cllr Veronica Burden spoke fondly of Chrissie Tasker, who suffered with a disorder affecting her growth and internal organs, at the official launch of the Chrissie Tasker Gallery, above The Organ Inn in High Street, Warminster.

The keen artist, who expressed her love of animals through painting and pottery, died in November 2005 at the age of 54 from heart problems brought on by Turner’s Syndrome.

“I think everyone has a unique value in this life and she clearly had great talent,” said Cllr Burden.

“Her love of wildlife was truly amazing. All birds and animals bonded with her.

“Her drawings were so poignant of all aspects of her life. All were kept in her private collection and only displayed when Chrissie wanted others to see them.”

Miss Tasker moved to The Tynings in Warminster, with Cllr Burden, in the 1970s.

It is there that she pursued an interest in pottery, art and keeping chickens, or ‘fowls’ as she would call them.

She was born and raised in the National Trust village of Lacock, near Chippenham, before moving to a special school in Liverpool.

After reaching adulthood, Miss Tasker became an inpatient at St George’s Hospital in Semington, where she is thought to have drawn inspiration for one of her pictures.

Cllr Burden said: “It (one of the pictures in the gallery) is her expression of getting out of St George’s. Chrissie was a private, fun-loving person who hated the mass communal day and night-time living.

“The yellow in the picture denotes the window and the door of the hospital where she could see the world, and also herself escaping out of the chimney.”

Another of Chrissie’s paintings is a self-portrait.

During her time in Warminster, Miss Tasker was an active member of the Warminster Arts Society, Warminster Mencap and Gateway Club and a keen member of the St John’s Church congregation.

Local artists Dave Hollis and Zoe Spittal also have their work exhibited at the gallery, which is located in the pub’s conference room.

Landlord Dan Keene, who reopened the pub in 2006 after a 93-year closure, said: “I was approached by a couple of local artists because the town is lacking in artists’ space. It’s another expansion of the pub.

“The pieces are unique - like all art work it shows what someone is thinking and their creativity.”