Bucks Open Studios casts its leading lady!

BUCKS Open Studios, the largest visual arts event in Buckinghamshire, has chosen a former West End musical actor, to take charge of its annual artistic extravaganza, which takes place next year from June 10-25, 2017.

Susannah Fellows

Susannah Fellows, who runs a gallery in Thame, and who has appeared in many plays and musicals, including Mama Mia in the West End, will oversee the 2017 event which showcases over 500 artists and makers opening up their studios to the public for two weeks, with an impressive line-up of free demonstrations, hands-on workshops and exhibitions in over 200 venues across Buckinghamshire.

As well as her acting career in professional theatre, film, television, radio and on the concert stage, Susannah also has impressive art world credentials having owned and run a Craft’s Council selected gallery in London for several years alongside her theatre work. She now runs fitch & fellows gallery in Thame, featuring her own handmade leatherwork as well as ceramics, glass, jewellery and contemporary art and craftwork by celebrated craftsmen and women.

Commenting on her new role, Susannah said: “I am absolutely thrilled and honoured to have been chosen as the new Chairperson for Bucks Open Studios. I really look forward to introducing new visitors to this great event. The wealth of artists and makers in our county, responsible for the vast array of work which is shown and sold to the public each year, is astonishing. We have so much talent here and, quite simply, I would like to see Bucks Open Studios become the best known and most successful of all the countrywide art and craft events.”

Susannah continued: “I have enormous energy and limitless enthusiasm for contemporary creative artwork and I’d like to make Bucks Open Studios a really memorable experience for visitors. My upbringing and professional life has always been in the Arts. I’ve grown up producing as well as appreciating and interpreting the diversity of creative endeavour – acting, singing, dance as well as painting, sculpture, carving, silversmithing, ceramics – I love the challenge of trying to help newcomers to understanding how and why artists and makers do what they do, what’s involved in their techniques and, perhaps, explaining the intention of their work to the public. I don’t think there is a mystique to these things. Creativity is about communication and artwork can and must be presented in a commercial fashion without detracting from the integrity of the piece.”