THIS weekend the artists at Colchester's Cuckoo Farm Studios are having a bit of a clear out.

Back Catalogue is a cross between an exhibition of art work and a spring clearance sale, and it's all taking place at the Studios off Boxted Road this Bank Holiday Monday from 11am to 5pm.

Clearing the old to make room for the new, among the many works on offer left over from past exhibitions, include paintings, prints, pots, but also art materials, pens, pencils, brushes, and books.

We spoke to five artists taking part to see what they were putting up for sale.

Liam Hennessy is a sculptor and painter from Sudbury who has been at Cuckoo Farm for two years.

He says: "I studied at the Colchester School of Art and did my MA at the Minories in Colchester and it was there that I first started doing this figurative pieces.

"Essentially I had one of my figures break in the kiln and it got me thinking about repairing things that are fragile, and then in turn protection. That led to this kind of mummification idea which cocoon's the piece but also constricts them.

"As you can imagine it's an ongoing process which means the creation of several different types of sculptures and every now and again I have to clear the old ones out. I've got about three or four going in the sale as well as some of my paintings."

Pam Schomberg is a Colchester-based ceramicist who has been at Cuckoo Farm for 11 years but working as an artist for more than 30 years.

She says: "I'm putting in lots of pieces because I need a really good clear out. Some of the items in my studio date back from when I first started so you can imagine there's quite a bit of stuff.

"One of the objects is the very first modelled piece I did. It's called The Woods Have Ears and the Fields Have Eyes and was part of an exhibition in Bond Street in which artists had to do a piece of work based on a proverb and that was mine. I think the proverb is Eastern European in origin.

"It's quite important for me because before that one I had only done decorative pots and it kick started a whole wave of new work. That said, I need the space, so it's got to go."

David Stone is exhibiting/selling a series of paintings from his East Anglian coast project.

As well as landscapes, David, who lives in Colchester, is a keen member of the popular 12PM printmakers group.

He says: "I'm always trying to steer clear of what is regarded as the normal subject matter of landscape painting. I prefer to capture the unusual aspects of the surrounding countryside and there's plenty to choose from along our coast.

"One of the paintings I'm selling is of a particular interesting part of the Suffolk coastline close to Leiston and Sizewell where there are a number of concrete blocks which were placed there during the Second World War as tank traps.

"I'm putting four paintings into the Back Catalogue show, all of which are a part of this on-going project."

Nicholas Rowe is the latest in a long line of graduates from the Colchester School of Art who won a year's free studio space at Cuckoo Farm.

That was last year, after graduating in 2015, and he liked it so much he stayed on.

He says: "As well as the studio, I got free mentoring and an exhibition so it was a great prize to win.

"I'm an artist craftsman and wood turner because as well as making wooden bowls I also produce bowls made from Suffolk clay mixed with the wood shavings from my wooden ones.

"There's a few pieces I'm showing but one is particularly special because it comes from a walnut tree that a woman from Bures and her late husband planted in the Fifties. After it had to be cut down, she wanted something to be made out of it, so I made her a bowl. When I gave it to her she was so pleased and that was a rather special thing for me. This other bowl, which is going into Back Catalogue, was made out of the same tree."

Sheena Clover from Wivenhoe, gave up teaching three years ago to start a new career as an artist.

She says: "I've always wanted to be an artist and before I retired I did the odd exhibition and sold the odd work here and there.

"As a teenager I grew up near the sea and now I'm based in Wivenhoe it's a huge influence in my work.

"I use jelly plates to create layers of monoprints, which I then finish off with pen and ink on top.

"This piece is one of two that were accepted for the last Colchester Art Society show at the Minories. The other one sold so I'm hoping this one will go to another good home this time around."