Rio Grande Announces and Celebrates Winners of the 15th Annual Saul
Bell Design Award
At a celebration dinner held on May 17 during the Santa Fe Symposium?
in Albuquerque, NM, Rio Grande announced the winners of the 15th
annual Saul Bell Design Award competition. Through rigorous judging,
a panel of judges chose first- and second-place winners in each of
six competitive categories, as well as in the Emerging Jewelry Artist
category for designers 21 years and younger. Prizes, awards and
congratulations were presented to each winning designer at the gala
dinner. The winning designs, as well as all finalist pieces, are
featured online at SAUL BELL DESIGN AWARD.
The competition challenges jewelry designers to reach for that
moment in all great design when a brilliant idea meets a keen set of
skills. The competition recognizes the power of design to elevate
common elements to a higher purpose and encourages designers to
release that power in any of seven categories:
Gold/Platinum: The predominant metal is gold or platinum group
metals, including palladium, or a combination of these. May be
cast, fabricated, forged, assembled or created with any
combination of techniques.
Silver/Argentium Silver: The predominant metal is silver or
Argentium Silver or a combination of both. May be cast,
fabricated, forged, assembled or created with any combination of
techniques.
Metal Clay: The predominant material is metal clay (silver,
gold, bronze, copper, etc.) and may include gemstones and other
findings as desired.
Enamel: The predominant surface material must be glass-based
enamels and may be fired on any type of metal.
Hollowware/Art Objects: Includes vessels and non-wearable
objects made of precious metal constructed primarily from milled
stock using one or more metal-forming techniques. Decorative
cast components may be incorporated.
Alternative Metals/Materials: The predominant material can be
any non-traditional metal (not covered in another category,
including base metals and reactive metals) or material
(including resin, glass, wood, found objects and textiles).
Emerging Jewelry Artist: Reserved for designers 21 years or
younger, this category places no limitations on the media used
and requires only that the finished piece is wearable jewelry
adornment and fabricated by the entrant.
2015 Gold/Platinum Category Winners:
…
First Place $2,000 Rio Grande Gift Certificate
“From The Deep”
Kent Raible
Mossyrock, Washington, USA
Second Place $1,000 Rio Grande Gift Certificate
“Starstruck”
Susan Blennerhassett
Nedlands, Australia
2015 Silver/Argentium Silver Category Winners:
…
First Place $2,000 Rio Grande Gift Certificate
“constrained timelessness”
Andy Lucas
Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA
Second Place $1,000 Rio Grande Gift Certificate
“MagiSphere Concept”
Kate Hubley
Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Canada
2015 Metal Clay Category Winners:
…
First Place $2,000 Rio Grande Gift Certificate
“Good Fortune”
Ivy Solomon
Oak Park, Michigan, USA
Second Place $1,000 Rio Grande Gift Certificate
“Je T’aime - Dual Flame”
Holly Gage
Bowmansville, Pennsylvania, USA
2015 Enamel Category Winners:
…
First Place $2,000 Rio Grande Gift Certificate
“Streaming Turquoise”
Jennifer Park
Budd Lake, New Jersey, USA
Second Place $1,000 Rio Grande Gift Certificate
“Empress Theodora”
Sandra McEwen
Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
2015 Hollowware/Art Objects Category Winners:
…
First Place $2,000 Rio Grande Gift Certificate
“The Pregnant Chalice”
Kent Raible
Mossyrock, Washington, USA
Second Place $1,000 Rio Grande Gift Certificate
“Ssssssumtuous Tea”
Genevieve Flynn
Kansas City, Missouri, USA
2015 Alternative Metals/Materials Category Winners:
…
First Place $2,000 Rio Grande Gift Certificate
“The Hummingbird Necklace”
Kathleen Nowak Tucci
Atmore, Alabama, USA
Second Place $1,000 Rio Grande Gift Certificate
“Moonstruck”
Sandy Mikel
Hawthorne, Florida, USA
2015 Emerging Jewelry Artist Category Winners:
…
First Place $500 Rio Grande Gift Certificate
“Hollow Brooch”
Lisa Krulasik
Glendale, New York, USA
Second Place $250 Rio Grande Gift Certificate
“The Pinnacles of Ha Long Bay”
Elly Cernohorsky
Halls Head, Western Australia
Third Place $100 Rio Grande Gift Certificate
“Windows”
Ella Calas
Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, USA
Finalists:
…
Gold/Platinum
Mandy Morris; York, England, UK
Gentry Buckner; Oakland, California, USA
Annie Koenig; Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Silver/Argentium Silver
Liam Powers; Brooklyn, New York, USA
Larry Stark; Sacramento, California, USA
Alicia Dib; San Antonio de los Altos, Miranda, Venezuela
Metal Clay
Janet Alexander; Ruidoso, New Mexico, USA
Terry Kovalcik; Haledon, New Jersey, USA
Anna Mazon; Krakow, Poland
Enamel
Gill Cordiner; Perth, Australia
Kristin Holeman; Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA
Lessley Burke; Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA
Hollowware/Art Objects
Nanz Aalund; Poulsbo, Washington, USA
Lynn Occhiuzzo; Hillsborough, North Carolina, USA
Philip Peck; Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, USA
Alternative Metals/Materials
Una Barrett; Portland, Oregon, USA
Pat Pruitt; Paguate, New Mexico, USA
Jimin Jung; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Emerging Jewelry Artist
Christian Hitzelberger; Huntsville, Texas, USA
Ari Cohen; Wellesley, Massachusetts, USA
Chloe Henderson; Eskbank, Midlothian, UK
Juliana Benez; Los Angeles, California, USA
For about the 2016 Saul Bell Design Award competition,
designers are invited to call 800.952.6222 or email [marketing at
riogrande.com]. Visit SAUL BELL DESIGN AWARD for
general about the Saul Bell Design Award competition.