A WICKEN artist who studio is a converted pig shed has just sold two large works to a prestigious London company.

Terry Beard says the deal represented one of her “most valuable sales to date” and she was thrilled to deliver the paintings to Royal London Asset Management in the City of London, and oversee their installation.

She said: “I was really pleased when I heard that instead of wanting to rent the works, the company wanted to buy them outright.”

The two works are called “Pink Splash” and “Storm,” both are in acrylic and mixed media, and measure around 1.5 metres long and 60 cm high.

The sale was negotiated by Patrick McCrae of Cambridge based company Works in Print, that normally arranges art rentals.

Terry and her potter husband Stephen Murfitt share a studio at the rear of their Wicken home; the building had previously been used for pig rearing, horse stabling, and vintage car restorations.

Terry said: “It was all a bit of a mess when we moved her 17 years ago, and we had to do a lot of work to make it comfortable to work in.”

Every year Terry and Stephen welcome visitors during the Open Studios season; with part of their studio being used a gallery.

“The Open Studio season can be great fun, we meet all sorts of people and there is a healthy number of people who buy our work.”

Terry spent her childhood in Canada, Uganda and Ireland, but graduated from art college in England in 1977 with an MA in textile design. Stephen comes from Little Downham.

In October, both artists will be displaying their creations in Ely. From October 12 to 15 the couple will show their work at the Lamb Hotel, as part of an “Early Bird” exhibition. The next week, the pair will exhibit work at Ely Maltings, from October 22-23, as part of an “Art Unequalled” art show.

Terry’s new web site, www.terrybeard.co.uk is due to go live soon; and the couple’s work can be seen on the Cambridge Open Studios website, www.camopenstudios.co.uk