THE plastic carrier bags that are the inevitable aftermath of Christmas present buying and visits to the January sales are manna from heaven for Roger Woodiwiss. His ever-expanding collection of bags – amassed on trips to Tokyo and New York as well as his

THE plastic carrier bags that are the inevitable aftermath of Christmas present buying and visits to the January sales are manna from heaven for Roger Woodiwiss.

His ever-expanding collection of bags - amassed on trips to Tokyo and New York as well as his local Tesco's - is the source material for his Retail Therapy series of paintings at the Tricycle Gallery in Kilburn.

The bags are dismembered and cut and pasted into collages, then he makes paintings based on these compositions. In doing so, he keeps aspects of modern art in mind - Cubist papier collé, Matisse paper cut-outs, geometric abstraction and pop art.

Woodiwiss says: "In my work I like to 'turn' imagery from one situation to another, usually painting, to make something unique and permanent from the commonplace, multiple and ephemeral."

Showing alongside him in Random Harvest are two artists with whom there is only the most tenuous of connections - hence the exhibition's title. David Bond shows paintings from his Random Art Generator series, in which the subjects are chosen through an automated process that selects by chance from a list of 3,000 items. Peter Wylie paints from photographs, often taken in East End streets, and includes scraps of overhead conversations.

The selection process at the Tricycle Gallery has caused disquiet among local artists who feel galled by rejection in view of some work chosen and that the gallery could better serve the community.

Perhaps this is now to be redressed as the gallery has advertised for submissions from professional artists who represent the diverse cultural nature of Brent and says it particularly welcomes residents of the borough as well as recent graduates and emerging artists.

Application forms for Tricycle Open 2007, which must be returned by post by February 1, can be obtained by email from open2007@tricycle.co.uk and in person from the box office at 269 Kilburn High Road, NW6. See also www.tricycle.co.uk.

Random Harvest continues until January 27. Open Monday-Saturday 10am-10pm and Sunday 3pm-9pm.