IT'S countdown for Nine Days of Art — a new visual festival celebrating the work of Devon artists which opens at venues across West Devon and beyond this Saturday.

Organised by the Straw Project there are more than 180 participants at 67 seperate locations ranging from studios to village halls to gardens.

The exhibitions are divided into four areas — Tavistock, North Dartmoor, South Dartmoor and South Devon.

The Tavistock venues include: l Still life compositions and landscapes in mixed media by artists by Sue Ward in Tavistock Museum, Drake Road l Printmaking, drawing and ceramics by Jane Lee at Book Stop, Market Street l Landscape and still life paintings by Hugh Davies and Judith Davies, 43 Parkwood Road, Tavistock l Printmaking, painting, mixed media by Kirsten Conway, Mary Gillett, Val Kirby, Rita Smith and Nicky Walker — the Tamar Print Workshop, five artists drawn together by a common interest in etching. The show, at Peter Tavy Village Hall from Sunday features abstracts, landscapes, interiors and still life l Sculptures, pictures, jewellery by Maggie Squire using recycled material, and sticks and stones from the moors transformed into dancing figures, Artist at Work, 10 Brook Street, Tavistock l Landscape, figurative and contemporary paintings by the Brentor Seven — Pat Bates, Sally Beck, Brian Bird, Paddy Langworthy, Gaye Martin, Judy Meakin and Christine Reynolds at Brentor Village Hall, Brentor l Painting, photography, drums by Chris Boswell and Premgit, Old Sowtontown, Peter Tavy l Painting, drawing, photography, illustration, computer generated imagery, Patrick Caseley, Laurel Cottage, Stowford Gate, Lewdown l Painting with earth pigments by Candida Sea Blyth, The Gallery, Hoigh Moorland Visitor Centre, Princetown

North Dartmoor includes:

Silversmith, jeweller, Patrick Hawksley and Joanne Porter, The Square, Chagford Basket maker, Linda Lemieux, Wood and Riush, 1a, Thge Square, Chagford l Pottery, painting, textiles, Ali Hirst and Bridget Thomasin, Chagford Galleries, The Square, Chagford l Contemporary studio pottery, Bridget Arnold, Bruce Chivers, Nic Collins, Ross Emerson and Penny Simpson, Contemporary Studio Pottery, 6 Mill Street, Chagford l Paintings, Izabella Eva, Kenwick, Meldon Road, Chagford l Paintings, Michael Hardy and Vix Jevons, The Barns, Chagford House, Chagford l Potter, felt maker, Virginia Richards and Yuli Somme, Woodlands House, Murchington, near Chagford l Paintings, stained glass, ceramics, Kristin Charlesworth and Richard Knapp, Little Burrows,Shilstone Lane, Throwleigh l Watercolours, drawings of Dartmoor landscape, Ann Minugh, Lower Burrows, Shillstone Lane, Throwleigh l Narrative, imaginative, figurative painting, Sara Roberts, The Attick, The Old Rectory, Throwleigh l Black and white Dartmoor photography, Chris Chapman, Tythe Barn Studio, Throwleigh l Pottery, sculpture and photography, Philippa de Burlet, Mat Chivers and Ruth Olley, Ashmoor, Throwleigh l Experimental photography, paintings and sculpture, Susan Derges, Paul Diffey, Sally Meyer and Marcus Vergette, The Wesleyan Chapel, South Zeal l Sculpture, Peter Randall-Page, Veet Mill Farm, Crockernwell, near Drewsteignton l Painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, cob and basket work, Jackie Abey, Caroline Brown, Harlan Mitchell, John Shiell, Jill Smallcombe, Paula Walker and Dominic Welch, Burrow Farm, Drewsteignton l Painting, prints, Audrey Stoyles, Salar Gallery, Bridge Street, Hatherleigh.

Here is an opportunity to meet the artists and enjoy their work in the delightful settings where the works are on show. However some of the venues are not open on every one of the nine days.

A Nine Days of Art guide gives dates, directions and details of venues. You can pick one up in Tavistock, from the tourist office, the Wharf, Book Stop, the Spiral Staircase or the Library.

Or you can request one by telephone on 01271 336158, faxing 01271 328422, or e-mailing [email protected]">[email protected]