Karren Urban

A bus ride up to Patcham finds Karren's house on the Patcham Trail, a substantial 1930s house with fascinating timbered kitchen extension leading into the inviting long garden with a pond, a witty mirrored wall and garden studio .

It was dusk by the time we arrived, Gordon Murdoch's Caribbean ceramic lanterns lighting up the house and garden. Fine artist Karren, who says she is very pleased with the new brochure, is showing her glamorous and sexy oil paintings of sultry dancers and [a new development] a collection of collages in mixed media and recycled materials.

Other guest artists' work includes Cassandra Whitfield's freehand machine embroidery, collages and textiles from Louise Hill, and vibrant oils, watercolours and limited edition prints by Nasim Shahid, Brenda Brooks, Martin Rolt and Nick Orsborn.

Nick, who is also showing his iridescent cicada jewellery in cast resin with gold leaf, said the brochure was brilliant, adding that he was "unequivocally delighted" with the newly independent Artists' Open Houses.