ARTS officers at Test Valley Borough Council have described the fourth Open Art visual arts festival, which has just ended, as the best yet.

More than 500 artists and craftspeople exhibited their work individually or as part of a group and thousands of visitors turned up to take a look.

Open Art celebrates the wealth of talent in the Test Valley and provides the unique chance for artists and craftspeople to open their homes, studios and workshops to the public for two weeks in June.

Art lovers were able to see visual arts, sculpture, crafts, photography, performance art, embroiderers, blacksmith craft and many other creative skills.

Open Art 2003 started with a roar of engines as 30 Ferraris escorted Mayor of Test Valley Cllr Pat West to Project Workshops where the festival was launched.

Open Art highlights include two guided art tours from Andover and Romsey that covered all the far-flung individual studios and workshops on the routes between the towns.

Stockbridge, Weyhill, Penton Grafton and Broughton proved to be secret stockpiles of creative talent.

Visitors got the chance to see the transformed Weyhill Fairground Craft Centre, soon to be bursting with activity from the 11 new studio workshops.

Blacksmith Richard Bent thrilled visitors with his energetic demonstrations and skilled craftsmanship and Andover Guildhall housed extensive exhibitions including the Schools Art competition, Leisure Art at Cricklade, The Wallop Artists, and Andover Art Society.