It is with both sadness and enormous gratitude that the Society begins the search for a new Chair as Juliet Bowmaker steps down from the role after four highly successful years.
Since joining the Society in May 2022, Juliet has given her time, energy and vision generously, working tirelessly to strengthen and champion the organisation. She has helped raise its profile on the national craft stage while also nurturing deeper connections within its home county and local craft community.
Under Juliet’s calm, thoughtful and inspiring leadership, the Society has exhibited in the capital with Made London and at London Craft Week. The Society is delighted to be returning to London Craft Week for a second year this coming May, alongside continuing its much-loved exhibitions closer to home.
Juliet has also been instrumental in building new friendships and collaborations with other craft organisations. One exciting outcome has been the launch of the Crossing Crafts venture with the Society of Designer Craftsmen, and we look forward to seeing how this develops later in the year.
Juliet’s deep understanding of the arts has been shaped by a long and varied career in the creative industries. She began her professional life in law before studying Art History at Trent Polytechnic. She subsequently opened a gallery in Nottingham, presenting a rolling programme of fine and applied arts.
A move to Cambridge in the late 1990s led to a new direction, establishing a consultancy providing artwork for hospitals and the corporate sector. In time she found premises in the city centre and opened another gallery, which exhibited at major London art fairs and further afield in Glasgow, Dublin and New York.
Since then, Juliet has worked with light artists for e-Luminate, the Cambridge Light Festival, served on the exhibition committee at Gainsborough’s House, worked as Secretary of the Ipswich Arts Association, and continued her own consultancy managing projects in the public sector. Having worked in the creative industries for more than thirty years, she remains as passionate about the applied arts as she is about Suffolk, where she has lived since 2006.
This depth of experience, understanding and appreciation of the art world has made Juliet an exceptional champion for the Society. Her passion, enthusiasm and generosity have left a lasting mark, and she will be deeply missed in the role.
Share this post: