Swindon painters, sculptors, potters, and crafters are throwing open their doors to welcome the general public into the mysterious working world of the artist.

Normally hidden away behind closed doors, the artist can appear a lonely character, starving in attics or at least banished from sight until the masterpiece is completed. Every year in Swindon a variety of homes and venues offer residencies to local artists to showcase their work, and to give them the opportunity to actually meet and greet art lovers.

This month the Post Modern Art Gallery in Theatre Square has Jason Barlett and Alice Duel as artists in residence as part of The Path exhibition until August 24, and then the Swindon Open Studios launches this year’s annual extravaganza on Friday, September 5 from 7pm, at the Art Gallery and Museum in Bath Road, Old Town.

The Open Studios grows each year and for 2014 around 50 artists and groups are taking part including Tim Carroll, Anna Kaplan, Cathy Hyland, Billy Beaumont, Lynette Thomas, Cheryl Holland, Marilyn Trew, Sharon Rich and Vanetta Joffe.

This year artists will be welcoming people into their homes to see the painter behind the artwork, as well as working in various venues such as The Town Gardens, The Richard Jefferies Museum, the Central Library and there will be exhibitions on show in the premises and shop windows of members of the Old Town Business Group.

All the organisation is done by volunteers and the artists in residence are happy to chat about their work, while they work, living up to the Open Studios mantra of ‘Art in the making in and around Swindon’.

There will be a wide variety of groups joining in this year, including contributions from TWIGS, on show in the Olive Tree Garden and Cafe, expressive artworks from the Prospect Hospice Artists, Create Studios will be showcasing digital art skills and the Western Flyer will be shown on the Big Screen at Wharf Green on September 13 and 14.

Aviation art will be on show from David Bent, Ken White’s oil paintings of ‘’inside’’ the GWR railworks and Tim Carroll’s artworks of paintings and ceramics will all be displayed. Kim Pethybridge has stone carvings in the garden, Pat Elmore wood carvings, and 3D work from Bee Operanto are also exhibited.

The Open Studios runs from Friday, September 5 to 7 and again on Saturday, September 13 and 14. - Flicky Harrison

For more details visit www.swindonopenstudios.org.uk or watch the Open Studios video by Nicky Walker, who has just finished her degree.

http://youtu.be/yU-xu8Nf4oY