Brighton Festival Open Houses 2014

Here in Brighton, May means the Brighton Festival - a month filled with all sorts of cultural and artistic shenanigans and these include Artists Open Houses.

This is where local artists open up their homes as galleries every weekend, showcasing their own work as well as that of other local artists. It's a lovely relaxed environment to see all sorts of different art and craft and to meet and chat with the artists who make it.

I'm in two this year - both on the Fiveways Trail - number 13 and number 15.  Fiveways is the area where the Open Houses began and is a really lovely trail to walk around.  The participating houses are all quite close together and the ones that aren't are really lovely to look at as you stroll by.

My creations are equally divided between the two houses, so if you can't see what you want in one, just pop round to the other - they are very close!  Apologies for the slightly blurred nature of the shots below - they were taken with my phone camera in very low light.

Number 13 (hopefully not unlucky 13!) is Delicious Delights at 60 Florence Road.  This house belongs to Kate Lulham, who produces original works of art in tins from tins - and just happens to sit next to me in Cross Street Studios.  Find all sorts of Shark Alley bird brooches here - toucans, birds, owls as well as dove earrings, resin pendants, purses and otters.  The otters are also represented in some brand new postcards and there is a Shark Alley Otter Family Photo Album to leaf through - assembled from the wonderful shots that people have sent in of their otters getting up to various adventures (from the Get Buzzy With The Fuzzy blog).

Otter postcards

Number 15 is Polly Raynes's house at 202 Ditchling Road and features art on a 'patterns and nature' theme. I'm showing my hare and Brighton cat brooches here and introducing brand new puffins and squirrels.  All the resin jewellery is here as well as fox prints, cards, postcards and mugs.

Both houses will also be serving tea and cakes in the garden.  What's not to like?!