High Weald Marketing on tour – South East Open Studios 2025

As SEOS 2025 encapsulated Kent and East Sussex from 6–22 June, I decided to create for myself a tour of studios across the High Weald area to meet the people behind the Instagram accounts and see some of our region’s most vibrant creative spaces. Here’s some stories from the studios…

The landscape surrounding us is not just beautiful, it’s bursting – with creative energy and talent.

My SEOS tour started in Cornford Lane in Tunbridge Wells, at the newly created studio of Liz Pangrazi. I first spotted Liz’s work in a Tunbridge Wells shopping centre, where empty shop fronts were being used to display pieces from local artists. Ever since then, I’ve loved seeing her work pop up on my Instagram feed – bright colours, delicate brush strokes and scenes from nature: what’s not to enjoy?

Liz was sharing her studio with Charlotte Coe and Kelly Harwood – I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting Kelly, but it was lovely to chat with Charlotte. As well as being an artist she also works in marketing, so there was plenty to talk about! Liz’s hospitality was superb, and this was a great start to my SEOS experience.

The next stop was over to Hildenborough, and the studio of The Soldersmith. I made the mistake of taking my toddler with me for this visit, but Alf was another excellent host and made him very happy with a drink and biscuit! The jewellery made here is absolutely stunning, and I keep flicking back to the online shop – the headline on the website is ‘jewellery for the everyday brave’ which I can really connect with.

The following weekend, I was pleased to call in on Hannah Buchanan’s studio. Whilst my toddler was being entertained by my husband and watching Wheels on the Bus on Youtube 70753758745 times, Hannah and I had a lovely chat about realistic art, marketing, marriage, nature and so much more. Her work is intricate, draws the eye in and each piece has a story to tell. I learnt a great deal, and wish she had been my art teacher at school!

The final stop on my art tour for this year was the studio of Lucy Homer Jones, near Penshurst. I didn’t think I was going to make it here, as it was the last day of SEOS and my toddler decided that this was the time to get a heat rash that looked like chickenpox. Thankfully, he was OK and I squeaked in for the last hour of the event.

I’m so pleased I did, as I got to meet all four artists exhibiting here – along with Lucy, I met Sara Giacomini, Lucy Merriman and Luana Asiata. As well as a barn, all four artists had work displayed in a home setting, which I thought made it even more beautiful and more realistic. I couldn’t stop taking pictures here, and could have sat in Lucy’s studio for the rest of the day!

I created a video at each studio, and this was great to be able to promote SEOS whilst it was life, and showcase their work to different audiences. By inviting the artists to collaborate with me on my Instagram reels, it meant that the video appeared on their grid as well as mine. This meant that they had a piece of user generated content, showing the studio in a positive light and a piece of marketing ticked off their list!

Have you got a SEOS story to tell? Book your social media audit or power hour and I’ll help you have an audience all year round, not just for the month!