FOR Francis Bacon it was a chaotic mess of paints, brushes, clothing and a replica plaster cast of William Blake’s head; For Jackson Pollock, it was a converted barn splashed and speckled with the vestiges of paint drops. Pablo Picasso meanwhile used the large main salon of his villa near Cannes. Every artist's studio is different but how often do we get a chance to take a peek into these secret worlds of creativity and imagination?

Helfa Gelf is North Wales’ biggest Open Studio Event, inviting members of the public to visit artists at work in their studios, experience this normally hidden space and get to chat to the artists and crafts people about their creative process.

Now in its 12th year, this free annual event throughout September is spread right across North Wales with studios taking part in Gwynedd, Conwy, Flintshire, Denbighshire and Wrexham and whether these spaces are purpose-built galleries or garden sheds and back rooms, the welcome is always warm.

"There are fewer places to exhibit these days and this way we can have a bit more of a social event," says Mold artist Alwyn Dempster Jones, who inspired by taking part in Helfa Gelf, will next month exhibit over 40 of his paintings in the conservatory of his house.

"My wife will prepare some mulled wine and mince pies and the idea is we can have a chat, people can have a look and there's no pressure at all.

"There's no disruption, some of the neighbours will pop by and thankfully my drive is a reasonable size!"

A graduate of Manchester College of Art and Design and Cardiff University, Alwyn works as a freelance painter and illustrator and has had artwork reproduced by The Sunday Times, The Times Educational Supplement, The Observer and many periodicals, designed and illustrated books and contributed to exhibitions for The National Trust, The Rambler’s Association, Marks & Spencer, BBC and many others.

"I've always painted from a very young age and was encouraged by my parents," says Alwyn. "My father was a photographer and my mother was a musician and I was pushed towards the arts - I can't really do anything else!"

Alwyn mainly uses pastels, sometimes pen and ink and occasionally watercolour to depict his beautiful paintings of the North Wales landscape.

"I've got many sketch books where I've painted all sorts of things from the reflections in kettles to pylons and shop fronts and rotting cauliflowers," he says. "The penny dropped one day because I do a lot of walking and appreciate the landscape and I thought why not take some of my materials with me? I used to paint in water colour but who wants to lug water around and wait for paint to dry? So I thought pastel was the solution and I sharpen them to a significant point and use pen and ink as a foundation - it's almost like painting by numbers."

Flintshire's scenery has proved a rich source of inspiration for Alwyn who especially likes to work in autumn and winter.

"Who wouldn't be inspired?" he laughs. "You only have to walk outside and realise how the light and colours can change so much.

"Helfa Gelf is a great example of cultural tourism and hopefully it brings a lot of people into North Wales from the surrounding area.

"I tend to include a lot of snow scenes in my work so I'm coming up to my busiest time - a picture isn't a picture unless it's got some snow on it!"

Alwyn Dempster Jones' Christmas Exhibition 2018 runs over the two weekends of December 8-9 and 15-16 from 11am to 5pm or any other time by appointment.

The address is: 24 Ffordd Trem y Foel, Parc Bryn Coch, Mold, Flintshire CH7 1NG.