Wimbledon Art Studios this week opened its doors to more artists than ever before.

On Tuesday, the largest single-site art studios complex in Europe blew away the competition by adding another 55 studios to its work space.

The addition will allow many more emerging talents, currently on a long waiting list, to take their passion more seriously and mix their talents with those of more established artists.

When the studios open for a 4-day art show later this month the public will have a chance to see the new studios, and the work the artists are producing.

The event organiser Emma Campbell believes that this year particularly, the studios will be like an "Aladdin's cave" for visitors, as on top of paintings there will be jewellery, textiles, sculpture, ceramics and photography all side by side.

The structural extension to the art studios will also improve the quality of the experience; three walled sides of the new conversion will be replaced with an opaque, poly-carbonite material to maximise the amount of light filtering in to the artists' studios and on to their work.

For the not-for-profit Wimbledon Art Studios making the show free to enter is a priority, Mrs Campbell said: "We want to reach out to more people and give them a great experience so its important for us to keep it free".

But she added: "the show must be self-funding".

Despite this neccessity, the studios will not take any commission on pieces boughtduring the show.

On top of potentially making a sale, there are truly artistic benefits of the show to the artist as well.

Mrs Campbell said: "It's a good opportunity (for the artist) to test their body of work on the public". As many of the established artists at the studio have exhibitions at public galleries and international art fairs coming up, discussing their work with those who appreciate will help them to finalise their displays and portfolios.

The Wimbledon Art Studios was founded in 1993 and many of its artists are well known to art lovers and collectors.

Mrs Campbell said many local people will have art works in their houses by artists from the studios without knowing it.

The open studios winter art show runs at Riverside Yard, Riverside Road, Earlsfield, London SW17, from November 24 to 27.

For more information visit wimbledonartstudios.co.uk

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