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bjm

Naturally different
Joined
19 May 2007
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Location
High Wycombe
Received an email this morning to say this annual exhibition is now permanently closed. Haven't had the time to go the last two years but it was always a good day out.
 
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I also received the email this morning, very sad, always a highlight for my wife & I, hopefully someone will come forward to take over the running of the exhibition.
 
I got this too, I am gutted about it.
I missed it last year but it was always a great show, the best way to see some of the finest work in person. I always hoped to exhibit there myself when I make something good enough.
It was without fail inspirational, sort of re charging the creative batteries each year. Maybe in future these events can return, I certainly hope so.

Ollie
 
The best thing about that exhibition was you were allowed to examine the furniture, open the drawers, sit on the seats. Not a single 'Do Not Touch' sign in sight.

Jason Heap ran it.
 
The best thing about that exhibition was you were allowed to examine the furniture, open the drawers, sit on the seats. Not a single 'Do Not Touch' sign in sight.

Jason Heap ran it.
And you could chat to the makers about the work which was always enlightening.
 
Very sad. I used to come over from Ireland to see it. F+C has also turned into a mid Atlantic irrelevance - why do we never see the great British cabinetmakers writing in magazines anymore ?
 
sad news, does this mean it's never coming back then? this event must cost a fortune to put on.
 
why do we never see the great British cabinetmakers writing in magazines anymore ?

Because the pay is atrocious for the time taken to write a competent article.

Also, they post their work on instagram and the like now and garner more of a following from casual viewers and entusiastic woodies with a couple of pictures, a short sentence followed by some hastags than they ever would've done writing a lengthy piece in a magazine.
 
sad news, does this mean it's never coming back then? this event must cost a fortune to put on.
Betty Norbury who started the show 26 years ago lived locally and I assume had a low rate for renting the exhibition space from Cheltenham College. Jason and family live on the Isle of White so incur a lot of expenses in accommodation and travel. It’s my assumption the College are now much more business minded to renting the space, as they could host several weddings over the 2/3 week period. The exhibition has been living under the threat of having to move venue for the past few years, I helped them try and find an alternative space, but nothing was viable.

They are hoping someone will take the exhibition on, so time will tell. Fingers crossed.

Cheers Peter
 
Because the pay is atrocious for the time taken to write a competent article.

Also, they post their work on instagram and the like now and garner more of a following from casual viewers and entusiastic woodies with a couple of pictures, a short sentence followed by some hastags than they ever would've done writing a lengthy piece in a magazine.
I do hope the show will be revived. Nothing beats actually seeing the furniture and having a chat with the maker. Same for magazines vs social media - you don't get any insights into the design process from a few photographs.
 
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