A marketing and PR manager has launched an internet-led business for artists looking to sell their work.

Morpeth couple Keith and Lesley-Anne Newman took voluntary redundancy from the utility company the National Grid, in Keith's case after 23 years there, when it became apparent they would have to relocate to the Midlands.

Neither wanted to move away, so Keith started as marketing manager for a Gateshead company and Lesley took the plunge and set up her own internet business selling antiques and collectables, All Your Yesterdays.

It was while he was helping his wife at an antiques fair that Keith came up with the idea for the Artists Network.

He said: "My wife and I were selling at an antiques fair and next to our stall was a very talented artist. His paintings were excellent but his ideas for marketing his work were basic and not doing his work justice.

"That's when it struck me that there must be a gap in the market for a facilitator of sorts to bring artists and art lovers together and the Artist Network idea began."

So after a year of working as a marketing manager, Keith left his day job and joined his wife full-time, launching the Artist Network in July last year.

"Obviously, having four children, things have been tight while we get the business up and running.

"But I have already managed to sign up 10 artists exhibiting very diverse work."

To help with the set-up costs, Keith received £1,000 grant from the Morpeth Business Link and help from Northumbria University's enterprise campus team. "The money has been tremendous and I was able to use it to buy a digital camera and improve the website," said Keith.

Roger Candy, business partnership manager at Northumbria University, said: "Keith has received advisory support in enterprise from us.

"He is providing an innovative service to support the artists of today who struggle to publicise their businesses."

Keith believes attracting 60 artists by the end of the year is a realistic target.

He said: "I have what I called the three tenners system. For £10 a month an artist can exhibit 10 pieces of their art on my online gallery [www.all-youryeaterdays.co.uk] and if they sell one I take 10% of the purchase price.

"It is still very early days yet but we are getting upward of 500 hits on the website a day and have sold 16 pictures, one piece went for £500."