ARTISTS have dramatically withdrawn their work from a gallery in Marlow in a row over thousands of pounds of picture sales.

Two artists removed their original paintings from Art Culture in West Street, Marlow, just days before an open evening on Thursday, saying they were still waiting for money owed to them.

One even stood outside the shop in protest until she was paid the £1,500 she says has been owed to her since May.

The gallery said the artist was using intimidating verbal behaviour and threatened to call the police if she did not stop.

Another artist has also removed his work for an exhibition but has not indicated whether he will return it again.

Both have now been paid in full.

The disputes centre on the length of time it has taken artists to receive full payment for work that has been sold by the gallery.

There is no formal written contract between the artists and the gallery, but the gallery said it was their standard practice to pay artists within four to six weeks of selling their work.

To protect their reputation, the artists have asked not be named, however their paintings sell for between £1,000 and £10,000 each.

One of the artists said: "Clients would be horrified to know they have had paintings hanging on their walls for months, while the artist is waiting to be paid."

Alison Dean, one of the gallery's co-owners, said: "It's amazing how this has got blown out of proportion.

"We are not a gallery that does not pay our bills."

She added: "It goes in swings and roundabouts.

"Sometimes it gets paid quickly and sometimes it takes a bit longer.

"In one case there was a discrepancy over the amount owing on the invoice, in another case we didn't receive the invoice until quite late."

Where there was a dispute the gallery said it had invited the artists in to discuss the matter.