THE pink signs will soon be up again, a vivid reminder that Herefordshire Art Week has returned, this year featuring 94 venues and more than 250 artists.

Among the artists taking part this year are Vivienne and Roger Luxton, a couple who first met at The Royal College of Art, whose paintings will be on display in St David's Church in Colva, alongside work by Jane Bisby: ceramics and toast; Gaila Clarke Hall: pottery; Veronica Guest: watercolou rand etching and John Twiddy: sculpture.

Roger Luxton studied and taught sculpture but has moved into painting: “All sculptors draw because you need to encapsulate ideas, and the nice thing about painting is that it’s like poetry – economical with images as poetry is with words. If they don’t strike a chord, you throw them away, but if a painting reveals a universal truth that resonates you can leave it behind you.”

While Viv is continually at work on her popular series of paintings, Roger works in bursts and is more interested in the process and finding a style than in selling his work, and is slightly surprised when a quick scroll through his online gallery reveals that he has in fact sold more than he thought.

Viv though likes the fact that her painting has given her an independent income. “When we came here (to the farm near Painscastle where they have lived, farmed and painted since the 1990s) I had no money of my own. Now, if I manage to sell my paintings I know I can spend it on something a bit frivolous.” Viv is represented by two galleries - The Albany Gallery in Cardiff and Red Rag Gallery in Stow on the Wold.

Most of her scenes and characters, she reveals, are inventions. “I used to spend a lot of time in the countryside painting things, but I no longer have the LandRover that used to be my mobile studio.

The couple’s styles could not be more different, with Viv’s more traditional countryside scenes appealing to one audience and Roger’s attracting attention from a slightly younger one.

“All our daughters’ friends like Roger’s work, because it fits beautifully into their world.

“People think I’m certifiable,” he laughs. “I certainly would be if I didn’t paint.”

Their styles may be very different, but both Roger and Viv agree that their shared passion for painting is invaluable.

“Having Roger as an artist is very helpful,” says Viv. “We are very good critics of each other’s work. My paintings need perspective and scale so if I paint a figure and it’s too big or too small because I am too involved Roger will tell me that he doesn’t think it works. And we both have a good sense of colour.

Find out what's on offer and plan your visits with the free full colour guide published in July and containing details of all the venues, images of a selection of the artwork being exhibited and maps to help you find your way from place to place.

To download a guide and map, go to h-art.herefordshire.brightstripe.co.uk