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Many people ask the question “how do I know a piece of work is good?” This continues to be a difficult question to answer and advice from seasoned art buyers is always to choose work that you like. Go with your gut feeling, after all you will have to live with it.

Another way of looking at this question is to see who buys a particular artist’s work. If an artist has sold to other artists this is a good starting point. Most artists are trained and have an eye for good quality work

Artists like to have interesting, unique and unusual things around them. They also like quality, things that are well made, that thought has gone into their design. SEOS is a fantastic opportunity to find these things and knowing they are from other artists living in the locality makes them more special.

Textile artist, Alison Partridge, has sold her work to Nancy Crow, one of the pioneers of the American Art Quilt Movement – a clear indication that her work is of a high standard.

One artist who bought from Vikky Furse spoke of her joy of owning one of Vikky’s oil paintings. “Of course, my newest acquisition is Vikky’s Walrus, which is even more special because I saw her painting it!”

Anther artist and collector had a long list of artists he has collected. Talking about his way of choosing artwork said: “they were all bought on the spur of the moment because they all had that ‘wow’ factor.”

Mary Edwards (SEOS Honorary President) believes “Although we all know that some SEOS artists are more successful and established than others, or more popular or fashionable, nobody has the last word on which are the most worthwhile, or even what the criteria are for saying so.”

Some of the other South East Open Studios artists who have sold to other artists are: Louise Bassant, Rib Bloomfield, Cecile Boswell Brown, Jane Bridger, Ann Brunskill, Graham Clarke, Timothy Constable, Jenny Crowley Smith, Paul Crudge, Mary Edwards, Chris Furse, Liz Garnett, Michael Glasspool, Cathy Hill, Lawrence Jenkins, Neville Langley, Jean Lowe, Erica Macdonald, Sue Maxwell Scott, Kellie Miller, Mandy Munroe, Lee O’Connor, Kate Penoyre, Marie Prett, Juliet Simpson, Debbie Siniska, Linda Smith, Ray Story, Julie Taylor, Nick Tidnam, Deborah Tompsett, Liza Townsend and Jane Wharrad. This is not a definitive list but an indication that a great number of South East Open Studios artists have sold to other artists.

At the end of the day, the unanimous opinion of artists about buying their work is that you must love it.

South East Open Studios 2005 runs from 10 to 26 June. The 2005 guide will be available from local libraries and council offices in Kent and East Sussex from the beginning of June. Anyone wanting a guide by post please send an A5 SAE (58p stamp) to Lee O'Connor, South East Open Studios, 14 Knaves Acre, Headcorn, Kent TN27 9TJ. The guide is also available on the SEOS website: www.seos-art.org

Press contacts:
Liz Garnett, South East Open Studios, 01303 812 678
Helen Mayer, South East Open Studios: 01303 276 416