A city-wide event which sees artists open their homes to the public will return this spring.
Artists' Open Houses will be back in May with venues across Brighton and Hove opening their doors and welcoming art lovers to explore a variety of arts and crafts.
Organisers have promised even more artists and venues exhibiting this spring, with more than 150 sites already registered to take part from Hove and Portslade to Fiveways, Seven Dials to Rottingdean and out to Ditchling, Newhaven and the villages beyond.
The festival, now in its 42nd year, is free to attend and will take place on May 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26, 27.
Artist Sarah Arnett will be illustrating the festival’s brochure cover as well as taking part with her venue Little Picture Palace in York Avenue, Hove.
Celebrated painter Faye Bridgwater will also open her home and studio to visitors along with Kate Scott, who will collaborate with artists working in music and film.
This year’s highlights include Jessica Zoob’s large scale layered paintings, contemporary handmade chairs by Hope Spring, stone sculpture from Guy Stevens and textiles by Deborah Manson at Becky Blair and Friends.
Over at Art At 21 in Montpelier Crescent, Nick Gardner will be joined by painter Lucy Bristow, painter and poet Gary Goodman and sculptor Ingrid Boucher for a contemporary display of artwork.
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The biannual Dog Show will also return for its fifth year with painter Sally Muir, Felted Fido and her felted dogs, Lorraine Corrigan’s papier-mâché dogs, Bridget Baker’s restrained wire dogs, Gemma Rees and her Bedlington whippet sculptures, Sophie Thurlow’s miniatures painted on teabags and Joanna Osborne’s ceramic dogs.
New artists for this year include Josse Davis with his hand-thrown mugs plus flat back pottery modesl inspired by Staffordshire figurines and small rake dogs, Violet Von Riot and her intricate collage dogs, Justine Osborne’s mugs and bowls, Sarah Gooder’s refined watercolours and Lost and Foundry with dog lamps.
“Now in our 42nd year, we’re really grateful to the many artists and makers who continue to participate, sharing their homes and studios, enabling so many artists to exhibit their work each year,” said Judy Stevens, AOH festival director.
“We are also delighted to welcome new faces to the AOH community and can’t wait to see their work this spring.”
Registration for the AOH May Festival remains open until February 28.
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