With Surrey Open Studios just around the corner, there’s no better time to collect original art for an eye-catching art wall.

The art world can seem daunting to new collectors, but Open Studios and Instagram have made it so much easier to discover new artists.

Instagram has become an increasingly popular forum with artists, and it’s a great way for collectors to follow their favourite artists and discover new talent.

Lockdown focused people’s attention on their homes and gave rise to many new collectors buying direct from artists through Instagram and Artist Support Pledge.

Artists love the virtual community that Instagram provides and in the same way Open Studios provides a wonderful opportunity for artists to discover and come together with fellow artists local to them.

For the public it takes art buying out of the realm of perceived elitism and into a more informal and relaxed experience.

Being able to witness the creative process first hand and speak directly to artists about their creative processes gives the visitor a deeper appreciation of  the art or craft that they buy.

Art consultant Katherine Oliver said: “Whether it’s a painting, photographic print, monotype or etching, the key is to choose something you love and buy with confidence. For more affordable options, think about buying a limited edition print or photograph.”

Creating a great art wall is a wonderful way to add personality, colour and texture to a home, and you can either stick to a theme – for example drawings all in the same type of frame, or a collection of prints hung in an ordered and precise way.

Alternatively, for an eclectic aesthetic, try mixing styles, sizes and media in a random way, which could include framed and unframed paintings, embroideries, masks, framed textiles, old family portraits, mirrors, decorative plates, children’s artwork, tapestries or prized treasures from your travels.

A mixture of frames also works well. Usually it’s best to start in the middle and fan out from the centre. The trick is not to make it look too curated. It’s usually best when it looks like it has grown slowly and organically over time, which has the added advantage of being able to be added to it easily in the future.

You don’t need a lot of space for an art display. If it’s a narrow area you are trying to fill, try to accentuate the height. Stairs are a great way to display floor to ceiling art. If you are creating an arrangement above a sofa, emphasise the width. In larger areas, you can experiment and be more playful.

A great way to test out an arrangement is to place it on the floor and photograph it as a reference for when you hang the pictures on the wall. You can also cut out templates from paper and pin them on the wall before finally committing.

Surrey Open Studios runs from June 3 to 18 and 14 local professional artists have come together to form the Hindhead Art Trail.

This is a wonderful opportunity for budding collectors to support a local community and visit a fantastic array of talent in this beautiful corner of Surrey.

There is something for all, including colourful abstract and semi-abstract landscape paintings, intricate wildlife and nature-inspired drawings and paintings, colourful and bold florals and cityscapes, gusty seascapes, and quirky and colourful theatre-inspired paintings and prints.

If you would like to add your own unique weaving to your wall, there is an opportunity to sign up to a weaving course at Dobby & Rose. Rebecca Harvey-Browne will also be showcasing her beautiful weavings made up into a range of bespoke interior designs.

For Hindhead Art Trail details see www.surreyopenstudios.org.uk/artist-trail/hindhead-art-trail/