THE annual open exhibition of the Bucks Art Society is opening at the start of next month.

The group started more than 80 years ago with a small amount of people but this developed into a county wide society, which now has more than 100 members.

New members have to undergo a selection process which is held twice a year.

Among them are portrait painters, oil and acrylic painters, water-colourists, pastels painters, textile painters, ceramicists, glass artists, sculptures and printmakers.

Honorary members of the BAS include some of Buckinghamshire’s leading artists such as Paul Millichip, Brian Bennett, and Clarissa Galliano.

Alan Kidd, whose paintings will be on show at Beaconsfield, has work in a number of private and public collections including the Houses of Parliament and Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

He has an NDD in Fine Art, Painting and Sculpture and was lucky enough to benefit from tutors such as Peter Blake, Fred Cuming and Ken Howard.

The exhibition is at the Fitzwilliam Centre in Beaconsfield on April 5 to 6 (open 10am to 5pm) with the private view opening from 6.30 to 9pm on the Friday evening.

Private view invitations are available from www.bucksart.co.uk

The invitation enables the bearer to enter the prize draw, which allows £100 to be used against the purchase of a piece of art. The invite needs to be posted at the exhibition before midday on the Sunday, April 6.

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