AN amateur artist from Brierfield is hoping to create an "internet village" to promote the work of fellow artists from across East Lancashire.

John Bradbury, 46, of Stoneyhurst Height, hopes the online directory can help amateur artists support each other and provide a central place for people looking to commission work.

The website has five entries so far from around the East Lancashire area, but John hopes it will eventually provide a directory of painters, sculptors, musicians, singers and actors from across the North of England.

The married father-of-two began his career working as a bookbinder and then began creating abstract works using leather. He moved on to creating his geometric abstract art using card, computers and photographs.

He now hopes that by using the website to join forces with other amateur artists he can create a service which will help to promote all of their diverse work.

John said: "Hopefully the website will become a sort of online supermarket.

"If someone is looking for an amateur artist, they don't want to trawl through hundreds of websites and this could bring everyone together in one place.

"If I can get a lot of artists on board the website will promote us all to businesses and will be a good thing all round.

"I consider myself to be an amateur artist and I am aiming the website at other amateurs as they are the people who find it hardest to promote themselves.

"Eventually I hope it will be able to contain short films of work by different people working in disciplines like film.

"I would also like to to become a forum for artists to communicate and interact with each other, which can only be a good thing for everyone involved."

To find out more visit johnmbradburyart.co.uk or e-mail John at johnmbradbury@tiscali.co.uk.