Last week I read Bettys' blog and one posting savagely and blindly, as I don't believe she has seen the show since she sold it, attacked the new direction it has taken and by default Jason Heap. I won't go in to the countless tales I have heard from nearly all furniture makers she has been involved with but the ammunition is there. She always blew hot and cold with me and I have had pleasant chats with her but she had grown to believe she alone had created a movement and helped a generation. In my view she was instrumental in taking the designer craftsmen and women down a lonely corridor of cultural exclusion. I exhibitted at Cheltenham several times and I thank her for allowing me the opportunity to do so, however, there were few places to exhibit by the time I 'arrived' and, with hindsight see that this did me few favours. A forum for furniture makers, created by Barnaby Scott, still permits private discussion amongst makers. Somehow, she was the sole gallerist and non maker on the forum which prevented true and honest discussion about such things as bad gallerists, precicely stuff we need to be able to do to further the developement of craft furniture. Her influence through her books ostrasized us all from the Crafts Council and it is welcome her departure from the forum. Her show had a stict selection based on making quality alone, she openly said she believed good design to be subjective, hence the work on show was always a mixed bag. Since Cheltenham had become virtually the only annual show of craft furniture, we were forced to consider exhibbitting. Ones work is perceived as being only as significant as that which it sits along side. It was through her hard work that the show became the backbone of a certain trend in furniture. This was not entirely her fault. The colleges Parnham, Shrewsbury, Rycotewood and Buckinghamshire college taught in a certain pattern, teaching technique first, then applying or using this in a design. The marking was generally based 65% on making quality and 35% design, therefore a good design poorly made would score low, encouraging students to focus making standards over design, just as Betty did.
Peta Levi also organised shows that took place in Sotherbies, there was an earlier one at Bonhams and appearing in these was always more significant as she had an eye for design across the whole of the crafts and thoroughly deserved her new years honours. Peta Levis' shows had a logic, the work was curated far better than the open door of Cheltenham. To an extent, once seen as being a part of the Cheltenham school, makers could be excluded from more serious design shows. After the first 'Celebration of Craftsmanship' exhibition and the launch of Bettys' book of the same title many abandoned the show. The book covered all kinds of wood craftsmen from carvers to reproduction furniture but also the innovative work of Fred Baier, John Makepeace, Martin Grierson and several others who were expanding the envelope of possibility in furniture. Pitching their work alongside repro inclined many young makers to overlook the difference in what they were doing. As the years went by most of the more innovative makers began to move away from the annual show yet each year a big name or two could be guarunteed which would pull younger makers in, exhibitting alongside Alan Peters, for example, was a great honour. Though the magnificent work of Waywood and the integrity of the work of Wales and Wales was on show it sat alongside lumpen, clumsy ill concieved pieces that whilst being well made were, essentially quite embarassing if one chose to invite a client of knowledge and taste. Exhibitors were asked to introduce their client base to the show. Few did, either out of sensible business accumen or embarassment.
The effect all this had on the publics perception of designer craftsmen was far from positive. Their work came to be seen as self indulgent flights of misguided fancy. Exersizes in skill rather than design overtook in volume the better pieces there. It could be easy to overlook the better work through sheer ammount of poor work on show. In its' defence it can be argued that this was the responsibillity of the colleges emphasis on making quality at the expense of design yet the selector essentially was responsible. The effect was massively damaging. Once percieved as being of that ilk a maker could find rejection from more significant shows through having Cheltenham on their CV. The Crafts Council began to turn its back on makers from this arena and focused on the fresh work of RCA students who were now seldom selected from any of the courses where craftsmanship was deemed more important than design. They chose to promote a strange type of work, arguably drifting from their purpose, to promote the crafts. The Jerwood Prize 1999 was dominated by work influenced by production, minimal use of expensive materials and a sense of sustainability.
By the year 2000, though the show was now renamed 'A Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design' it had lost all credibility with design critics. Though it did provide a first stepping stone for young makers it was pivotal in taking the Designer Makers out of fashion and off the map. Students came to the show and many took inspiration from the work on show. Seperating the wheat from the chaf could be difficult and some followed the lesser work on show creating a homogenity of design. Where as the first 30 or so designer makers all had a distinctive style, now it became difficult to seperate, it had become a style. For these reasons, not her disposition or treatment of people, I believe her effect was truly detremental to most in the field of fine craft furniture.
In 2008 the show was sold to Jason Heap, a young, talented designer, Bettys' involvement ended here. By now most leading designer makers had ceased to show work here. Heap was given a difficult task. To reinvigorate the show he has introduced a chair competition, voted on by visitors, the Alan Peters award, the ambient music of Jeremy Broun aligned with a less aggressive feel from the organisers. Those who visit the show are from a broader cross section of society. It remains to be seen how Cheltenham will develop as we are still in a transitional period but, so far, all seems to be improving.
I would say, having organised exhibitions myself that curation is crucial. Even if the work you are handed isn't always as you would wish, creating a logical journey, a balance of spacing and having a reason that connects the pieces is very important. 
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