Glen Innes police were called to the local art gallery after a complaint was registered against a nude self portrait that featured at the recent ‘teapot’ exhibition.

Local artist Dennis McIntyre answered the call from the New England art community and entered the painting in the exhibit where it was placed in a prominent position in the gallery.

“The painting was never meant to offend, it is just a bit of fun and most people have enjoyed it for what it is and I am very proud of the work,” he said.

Glen Innes police Sergeant Mark Johnston said local police responded to a complaint from a member of the public.

“We received a complaint late last week that the painting in the front foyer was offensive so police attended the gallery to take a look for ourselves,” he said.

“When we have arrived the decision was made to ask for the painting to be moved to a less prominent position at the gallery and the curator of the exhibit complied with that request.”

Glen Innes art gallery committee spokesperson Denis Haselwood said the complaint was ridiculous.

“If someone has taken offence to this painting then they are very easily offended it seems,” he said.

“The person making the complaint said they were concerned about children seeing the painting, well in all of my years of working at that gallery I have never seen a small child even stick his head through the door.

“If the person was worried about their child seeing the painting then they could have just chosen not to come into the gallery, getting the police involved was just silly, sometimes I wonder what is wrong with people, they just seem to want to make things difficult for everybody.”

Art gallery volunteer Beryl Ramsay said a group of 60 to 80 year old ladies came through recently and loved the painting.

“Their only complaint was that they couldn't lift the teapot to see what was behind  it,” she said.