BE original this Christmas, suggests Kentmere House Gallery owner Ann Petherick in York. "Buy someone their first-ever original piece of art and encourage them to start collecting," she says.

Kentmere House is an Aladdin’s cave at Christmas, exhibiting small paintings and original prints from £50 in the Little Gems show. "There are paintings by gallery favourites such as Tessa Newcomb, John Thornton and Michael Ewart, with original prints from nationally known printmakers such as Richard Bawden and the late John Brunsden," says Ann. "All work is original with no machine-made reproductions.

"New small work has arrived from Susan Brown and artists new to the gallery, such as Anne Aspinall and Carolyn Stephenson, while Alfred Huckett, regular artist-in-residence at the York Early Music Festival, has produced small watercolour sketches of the festival performances, and Susan Bower always has images to represent the joyful season."

Little Gems runs from Thursday evening until January 28 at Kentmere House in Scarcroft Hill, "so Christmas gift money can be used to treat yourself after the New Year". The gallery provides a gift voucher service for £10 and upwards and is a member of the Arts Council’s Own Art scheme that allows payment over ten months without a deposit or interest.

Opening hours are every Thursday evening, 6pm to 9pm, and every weekend next month until December 20, 11am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday. Visitors also may visit the gallery at any time with a telephone call in advance on 01904 656507.