Its always worrying when a friend asks you to go and see their exhibition, to view their art, to judge their creativity. What do you do if you don’t like it?

Modern Art has never sat well with me, I don’t like daubs and in a room full of nodding art history students I was the only one to laugh at Oppenheim’s revered ‘Furry Teacup’ and Duchamp’s ‘Urinal’, so it was with some trepidation that Husband, Baby and I entered The Phoenix Brighton Arts ‘Open House’. The popular work-space near The Level opened its doors to the public and invited us in to view its artists individual studios and whatever lied therein.

Lots of little rooms off long corridors revealed many different spaces and scenarios all as diverse as the artists who worked in them. You could pop your head into each studio and decide to stay and view and chat or move on to the next one, whatever took your fancy! Baby was delighted by a fully rendered campsite scene complete with flickering images of fires and lanterns aside a tent and tree.

I admit I did bypass the daubs but found plenty to engage and intrigue. Its amazing and intimate to just drop into someone’s art-space and see what they are working on - some artists let their pieces speak for themselves, some were keen to discuss their vision with you, but it felt like all of them had revealed themselves to you which I suppose is the purpose of art?

It was an all-encompassing affair, bright, light and welcoming and you got a real feel of a thriving art community there. Children had a fun art-trail to follow round the building, excitedly adding to their ‘creation’ on each floor. Baby wondered into a large painting room and happily doused himself with some colour before having a bit of a dance to some music and everywhere there were people wandering around viewing the visions of others that might or might not ‘speak to them’.

We found our friend’s studio and were glad to find him ‘at home’. Patrick O’Donnell is a local artist who has been working on a series of Personal Icons entitled 'You Make Me Gay' featuring those who have been influential in his life. Thankfully I didn’t have to make a Happy Face because there wasn’t a bit of fur or any daubs in sight. This incredibly personal work was recognisable and accessible, warm and real, full of smiling or interesting faces that told a story of his life.

Further works, nudes, colours and landscapes were deep and rich, evoking the biblical epics of John Martin and William Blake and a figure painting was much more Caravaggio than cup and saucer. I really love an artist that has a technical skill as well as a creative vision and this shines through in a really good painting. I find execution as important as an idea.

But I’m not an artist, so I won’t judge those daubs or other bits of art that didn’t speak to me because every artist and visitor I saw at Phoenix Arts that day had or found something for them.

Check out the Phoenix Arts website for up and coming events or how to apply for your own workspace.