A totally tropical experience - in Felpham

Artist Claudia Jones filled a ground-floor room of 17th-century Peartree Cottage with her paintings of Caribbean flowers during the village's latest open house art trail.

The vivid and colourful depictions of the flora transported those who called into the home of her parents-in-law thousands of miles to her homeland.

Particularly striking among her dozens of pieces were the triptychs of oil on canvas which brought the flowers to life.

She also displayed her MDF cutwork screens based around the flowers' silhouettes.

On a smaller scale, her placemats resembling sliced open paw-paws looked good enough to eat.

Claudia explained: "Everything has a tropical feel because that's what I grew up with. Tropical flowers are almost pre-historic and they are beautiful."

Last weekend's exhibition was her second time in the art trail.

"It's a really good event," she said. "Speaking to the other artists about the trail, everyone is positive about it.

"When the weather is good, it's nice to have this movement of people among the houses during the three days. I think they should keep holding the trail. If they do, and my parents-in-law open the cottage, I will keep displaying my work."

She estimated about 300 people would have visited the Vicarage Lane cottage, built around 1625, by the end of the three days of the trail.

Her paintings were joined on display by a smaller number from one of her friends, Richard Arthurs. One of Jamaica's finest Impressionists, his work is on show in the country's national gallery as well as being feted in his US.

Her husband, Robert Jones, also had some 50 photographs on display in the cottage.

In all, this year's 11th of the annual art trails displayed the work of some 20 artists in nine different venues.

What do you think? Click here to send a letter or leave a comment below.

Click here to go back to Chichester news

Click here to go back to Bognor Regis news

Click here to go back to Midhurst and Petworth news

To tell us where in the world you are reading this story click on the link below to add yourself to our readers' map.

MAP