MySpace took the music industry by storm launching the international careers of several major bands.

Following in its wake Art-SX aims to do for the unknown artist what the web based music site did for the fledgling musician.

www.art-sx.co.uk is a website which enables artists to create their own galleries online and to sell their work.

The website was designed and set-up by Stan Denton of Westcliff, who at the time knew absolutely nothing about website design.

"I was going through a difficult time in my life and needed to work from home," he explains, "I'd started painting and doing amateur photography, then my friend suggested that I exhibit online.

"I did a free trial and actually managed to sell some of my art, I was so surprised I decided to build my own website. I learnt as I went along - I bought a book on it and just went from there."

All of this happened a year ago and now celebrating its first birthday Art-SX has over 40 members and is viewed in more than 60 different countries around the globe.

Unlike with most art exhibitiors, Art-SX in a non-profit project, charging only a nominal fee of £10 a year to ensure only those serious about their art sign up.

Artists are not charged commission on pieces that are sold and all the registration fees go back into promoting art in Essex or into helping charitable organisations.

One Art-SX enthusiast is Agata Mantaj from Poland who liked the project so much she went to visit Stan in Westcliff when she came to Southend to see her fiance.

Agata, who studied art and media in Poland, was searching for animators in England when she found Art-SX and thought it would be the perfect place to exhibit her work.

"It's good to exhibit my work on the internet as it can be viewed by lots more people," she enthuses, "the internet has its own life, people can share things with their friends and send messages instantly."

Art-SX is not an exclusive project Stan explains: "We host artists from all walks of life, be they professional, or amateur, anyone that loves creativity."

This includes animators and film-makers, photographers and graffiti artists, poets and painters.

Stan also aims for the site to help promote the future of art and particularly artists in Essex with some of the registration money used to arrange exhibitions in Southend for its members.

However the site is not just a gallery, it also hosts 'Your Space' pages, which allow artists to create their own five-page websites.

Although this is not a reference to MySpace Stan is quick to point out.

"I had no idea MySpace even existed until very recently, I still don't really know what it is," he laughs, "I chose the name 'Your Space' because the technical name was too long to fit on the button. It's lucky I didn't chose MySpace or I'd be in whole lot of bother now!"

When a member joins the site they are guided step-by-step through how to set-up their web pages and Stan is always on hand to give technical assistance if it's needed.

Stan puts an enormous amount of work into maintaing the website for no profit and he does admit to having a hidden agenda: "We're working to bring Art-SX out into the open so that one day we might be able to start a community gallery."