POSING in a poster shop window, these abstract people gaze out at passing shoppers.

The curvaceous human figures, which appear in Blackwell's Art and Poster Shop in Oxford, were installed by sculptor Beatrice Hoffman to advertise Oxfordshire Art Weeks.

The 54-year-old, who lives in Garford, said: "One sculpture that I will exhibit during the event has taken 24 years to produce.

"It was originally carved from a large lump of stone brought by truck from a quarry in Lincolnshire. The work at the beginning involved much use of power tools.

“After one finger dropped off, I learned through hard experience not to let stone become too thin otherwise it does not stand up to being carved. When I moved in late 2014 to Oxford he was once again fully exposed, having been hidden behind and grown over by bushes reminiscent of Sleeping Beauty."

She is saving the life-size sculpture, called Stone Man Walking, as a surprise at her open studio on May 14 and 15 and May 21 and 22.

The collection of figures on show in the Broad Street shop, which sit alongside paintings by artist Pixie Warburton, are a taster of the county-wide art celebration which runs from May 7 until May 30.

For more information visit artweeks.org.