HASLEMERE artists David Paynter and Helen Pittick, who operate under the banner of The Artful Gallery, are staging their fifth open studio exhibition this month.

Part of the annual Surrey Artists Open Studios, their theme this year is ’Art and Soul’, which is all set for its first opening to the public on Sunday.

The pair are bringing together the work of more than 20 artists in the setting of David’s ’Huf’ house studio and grounds in Marley Lane, Haslemere.

Around 100 pieces of art – drawings, paintings, ceramics, indoor and outdoor sculpture – will be on show in six acres of gardens and woodland.

Helen specialises in equine and animal sculpture and her work is in many collections in the UK and Europe, including the Royal collection of the Queen.

A reclining horse in bronze was commissioned for Her Majesty last year. Helen is also breaking new ground painting horses using gold leaf techniques.

She said: “We are really pleased with the cross-section of artists and art we have found this year. We wanted to set a professional standard, while offering something to suit all tastes. Looking at the pieces we have selected, and the design of the show, I think this will be our best event yet – one not to be missed.”

David is a poet as well as an artist. His sculptural work is eclectic, from semi-abstract human figures to animals and abstract forms - often in stone, but also clay, cast into bronze or resin.

Many of his pieces are accompanied by a poem, adding another dimension to the work.

Two of David’s sculptures, with their poems, have pride of place in the new wing of the Farnham Road Mental Health hospital in Guildford.

He said: “Art without a soul is very transient. We want to bring art to our visitors that either gives them pleasure or makes them think, or both. In any event, we hope it leaves them feeling changed, however ambitious this might sound.

“The setting we create has a significant part to play... not least the hard work of my wife, Lynn, in the garden.”

This year, among award-winning artists being featured, is:

* Christine Charlesworth, who was an official sculptor for the London Olympics and, more recently, has been commissioned by a property development company in Hong Kong. One of Christine’s paralympic sculptures – ‘Winning Shot’ – has pride of place in Woking Town Centre.

* Painter Hilary Dancer’s atmospheric city scenes will be on show, alongside humorous animal paintings and landscapes from Toni Goffe.

* Ceramic hares by Sandra Bidmead will contrast with intense small human figures in resins from Neil Wilkinson.

* Royal Society sculptor Peter Newsome’s bonded glass creations will sit alongside broad-brush landscapes from David Wade.

* Life-like animal sculptures suited to an indoor setting will come from Jennie Philips and Julia Forrest.

Outside on the lawns and in the flower beds, by the pond and on the trail through the chestnut woods, the visitor will find large works in bronze from sculptor Eve Shepherd, light-catching glass and steel works from Jane Bohane, life-size animal sculptures by Carol Orwin whose Siberian tiger cub sculpture sits in London Zoo, Lou Johns’ Giacometti-inspired figures, Patricia Sindall’s animal works, emotional human figures from Henriette van der Does, Lynn Warren’s curving abstract forms, Large-scale wood-carving by Simon Groves, Angie Doye’s modern take on ancient themes, Gilbert Whyman’s whimsical welded steel creations, and Simon Conolly’s ceramic birds in flight.

The ‘Art and Soul’ exhibition is open to the public from 11am until 5pm, on the following dates in June 5, June 10, June 11, June 12, June 17, June 18 and June 19. Entry is free.

For more details, visit theartfulgallery.co.uk or e-mail info@theartfulgallery.