Canvas for the arts – It’s Bucks Art Weeks

A Tale of Two Art Weeks

Oxford Art Weeks and Bucks Art Weeks. A celebration of the Arts.

Being so close to the border between Bucks and Oxon has many advantages. For art enthusiast and proprietor of fitch & fellows in the Buttermarket, Susannah Fellows, it leaves her spoilt for choice.

The month of May brings Oxford Art Weeks every year and many of the Oxfordshire based artists look to Susannah to showcase their work in her small but successful gallery space. This year she’s been home to regular fitch & fellows favourite Kate Wilkinson with her stylish jewellery work. “We decided to create an exhibition of work which would complement Kate’s simple, modern and classic designs. The show has been entitled Clean & Classic and features Justine Jenner’s simply decorated ceramics, Fleur Enser’s monochrome stoneware table pieces and Nicola Henshaw’s carved oak and lime furniture and boxes. Nichola’s work will soon become a well known element of Thame life as a working group of Thame Town Councillors, members of the community and a SODC Arts Officer, chose her, from many submissions, to create a series of waymarkers as part of the Public Arts strategy brought about by the new housing developments. Her wonderful designs have been developed through a series of workshops which engaged people from all sections of our community – children and adults, people new to Thame and those who have lived here their whole life. You can see examples of Nicola’s work top and middle right of this page.

These workshops created a story that weaves elements of Thame’s history into a magical and intriguing tale of adventure which is set in three locations, in three very different times. These additions to Thame have been carefully developed to be beautiful, practical and will help to celebrate Thame’s heritage and history. Come and see her work before the markers are unveiled!

As Chair of Bucks Art Weeks, Susannah welcomes 5 BAW artists and makers to exhibit with her this year in the annual June event. Sally Dorrity will be showing her distinctive ceramic work alongside Susan Horler’s fused glass work. fitch & fellows favourite, Kerry Newth will be demonstrating her skilful jewellery making and wall art will be by illustrator Sarah Beak and painter, Sarah Annetts. If you would like to delve into the other hundreds of exhibitions going on during Bucks Art Weeks this year, drop in to fitch & fellows and pick up a free directory of exhibitors. It makes a great day out.

You can read more articles like this one in the latest edition of Thame Out.