A HAWORTH artist has created a range of "empowering" colouring books highlighting inspirational women from both history and the modern age.

Diana Gagic has illustrated her own books about figures such as the Brontë sisters, Northern women, female artists and inspirational Scottish women.

Diana, who was born in Halifax but has spent most of her life in Haworth, took to writing after suffering at work due to chronic pain.

She said: "Rather than allowing this to hold me back I focused my energies positively in creating a range of empowering colouring books to highlight some inspirational women our history books forgot, as well as modern-day heroines.

"My unique educational colouring books are proving very popular in some wonderfully supportive local independent shops including Wave of Nostalgia in Haworth, the Grove Bookshop in Ilkley and Spirals in Hebden Bridge."

After deciding to create educational colouring and activity books on a feminist theme, she started out with The Bronte Colouring Book.

She said: "I wanted to highlight the stories of brave, pioneering women who overcame great adversities to follow their dreams.

"I hope to promote equality in an accessible format to help encourage new generations to strive fearlessly for their aspirations whatever they may be."

One of Diana's recent books is called Great Art Herstory Colouring Book, and is a female-focused perspective in art history with both famous and less-well-known women.

During lockdown Diana has been working on another book on a similar theme, The Great Scottish Women Colouring Book, released on August 14.

After realising history books were packed with the achievements of rich Scotsmen like John Logie Baird and Alexander Graham Bell, she wanted to focus on female pioneers from north of the border.

Diana has paid tribute to the Bradford Libraries development officer, based at Keighley Library, who gave her great supportive in the early stages of creating her books.

Diana said: "Dionne is a wonderful mixed media artist herself and as a fellow artist she appreciated what I was trying to do. Her encouragement kept me going through tough times."

Diana also praises Diane Park, who runs the Wave of Nostalgia shop in Haworth, who has been "hugely supportive" of Diana and other local artists and designers.

Diana said: "Diane is a very creative lady. She maintains a strong ‘women supporting women’ ethos and I’m proud to have my books included in her carefully curated displays."

Diana has an online store on the Etsy website where people can buy books, cards and mugs with her illustrations. Visit etsy.com/uk/shop/CraftyBirdieDesigns.