Kevin McCloud launches Somerset Art Weeks 2012

Grand Designs presenter, Kevin McCloud has urged locals to get involved with Somerset Art Weeks.

Somerset Art Weeks' Open Studios event runs from September 15 – 30. Its aim is raise awareness about local art and it allows artists across Somerset to open their worlds up to the public, whether this is from their home, their studio or a local town hall or theatre.

Kevin, who lives in Frome, attended the Open Studios launch party in Bruton and enthused that ours is a "very special county" with a thriving artistic community.

He said: "The fact is, we are just so lucky to live in such a special and unique part of the world where artists can feed off beautiful sceneries and use varied local materials from the surrounding landscapes to create their vision.

"You cannot ever separate human beings from where they are from and this will be very apparent when people see the art showcased in the Open Studios event.

"The most fantastic thing is that we are going to see such a variation in art and artists across Somerset.  

"A small town like Glastonbury is going to produce completely different works to a larger city like Bath, and that's the wonderful thing. People can go and see the variation of art available to them in Somerset."

Kevin stressed that in a time of recession it is important that sometimes people just let go and enjoy the rich variety art and culture available in Somerset:

"We are constantly being told by the scrooge government that we are going to have to stop spending money and tighten up the purse strings – but actually life goes on and people want to have fun and see beautiful things. Art is a great expression of the human spirit in that way.

"You see all these modern white-walled art galleries in London, such as the Tate, and as much as I would love to be the sort of man who enjoys that sort of art, I just can't get to grips with it

"The great thing about the Art Weeks is that it is completely the opposite idea. Artists are opening their homes to everyone so they can see their lives, their works in progress and really understand the process in which all these people work."

Zoe Li, Art Week Coordinator for Somerset Art Works, said: "Many artists cannot afford advertising and some cannot even afford their own studios,

"This is their chance to present their work to the public whether it is by opening their homes or renting out a display area for a few weeks."

Numerous Yeovil artists will be taking part in Somerset Art Weeks and you can find information about local art events near you at the Somerset Art Works website.