fitch & fellows is, for owner Susannah Fellows, the culmination of a lifetime spent in the creative arts. She comes from a theatrical and artistic family – professional actors, dancers, singers, specialist set painters, stained glass artists, painters and silversmiths.
"I realised that the words used in all creative arts are the same – mood, nuance, connection – skill, technique, composition, application – wit, humour, depth". This common language was what led her to connect with the artists she first sought out back in 1993 when she decided to open her first gallery, Fitch’s Ark, in London. Her personal passion for all things handmade, led to her change of direction – from actress to gallery owner - and her initial 50 approaches led to the gallery quickly becoming Crafts' Council Selected for quality and to her, ultimately, representing the work of 250 artists and makers.
The birth of her twin daughters put her gallery days on hold – Fitch’s Ark was sold and she returned to the more flexible life of a jobbing actress while she raised her girls. Then, after nearly 40 years in the theatre, clocking up leading roles in 21 West End shows, film, TV, radio and concert appearances, in 2013 she opened fitch & fellows in a small premises in Thame, Oxfordshire. With the encouragement of her family, she moved to the site it now inhabits 2 years later and has not looked back.
“I hope you’ll find fitch & fellows a mixture of the beautiful and the witty, the classic and the unexpected, the rare and the everyday. We represent the work of many established artists, some who have been with me since Fitch’s Ark, and are now found in major collections around the world, and some who are new to me, displaying new skills and new imaginings. fitch & fellows is a continuation of my never-ending enthusiasm and passion for all things handmade, encompassing all areas of creative craftsmanship”.
Enjoy…