Celebration Competition 2017
Overall Winner: Jen Lawson
for "Sue's Art Journal" (Mixed Media)
Celebration Competition 2017
Overall Winner: Jen Lawson
for "Sue's Art Journal" (Mixed Media)
Celebration Competition 2017
As part of the Guild's 20th Anniversary Celebrations in 2017, members were encouraged to enter a juried competition in a variety of categories with the theme "Celebration". All the entries were displayed at the Celebration Weekend in Kidderminster and we were blown away by the variety and standard of all the entries. Well done to all who participated and especially to the overall winner, Jen Lawson. We hope these images will encourage you all to take part in future competitions. Click on individual images for a larger view. All images are copyright of each individual artist.
Category: Functional Object
 Poinsettia Bowl (AA Winner)Applicant Artist - Fiona Abel-Smith
I love Christmas, and all the paraphernalia that comes with it as we celebrate the festive season. This usable, large bowl’s centrepiece is a poinsettia flower, created by making leaf canes from which slices are then inlaid into a black background. Every part of the design is an inlaid cane. It is my celebration of both Christmas and the Poinsettia which for me, in our house, is an integral part of Christmas décor. |  "Confluence" (EA Winner)Emerging Artist - Jen Lawson
Confluence celebrates my polymer journey so far. It is the coming together and blossoming of the key elements of what I have been doing for the past three years. The petal cane is kept simple, showcasing the colours. These three key elements – books, the web and, last but definitely not least, the wonderful and creative people around me – are definitely worth celebrating. |  "Time of my Life"Emerging Artist - Shelley Wylie
This is a time piece celebrating the time in my life. Both recent and historical influences, loves and decisions in my life. The numbers around the clock sent significant celebrations in months of the year too. |
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 Garden Chess SetEmerging Artist - Theresa Simkins
"My piece is a celebration to the game of Chess in memory of my father. My inspiration was the memory of many enjoyable games played in the summer evenings. This game has taught me patience and to play the long game, not only in Chess but in life itself." |  Embellished KnifeEmerging Artist - Gemma Lock
This piece is a celebration of the use of polymer clay to embellish an every day object and transform it into a beautiful piece of kitchenware which is a joy to use when cooking. |  Anniversary PenEmerging Artist - Denise Bending
The piece is a pen that I have made for my husband. We celebrated our Ruby Wedding Anniversary in December 2017 and this seemed like a fitting present to give him to mark the event. |
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Category: Mixed Media
 Christmas Bauble (AA Winner)Applicant Artist - Fiona Abel-Smith
To celebrate Christmas, my favourite time of year, this glass bauble is covered in a seamless polymer clay kaleidoscope cane veneer, depicting stylised holly leaves, berries, and a white winter flower. |  "Sue's Art Journal" (EA Winner)Emerging Artist - Jen Lawson
Sue is my mum’s name and this is a 50th birthday gift for her. Sue has since developed into a rather skilled watercolour and mixed media artist. This journal represents and celebrates that journey and gives her a vehicle to continue it. It also celebrates artistic courage as it is my own first entry into a juried competition. |  YoniheartGemma Lock - Emerging Artist
This piece is a celebration of the fusion of female sexuality and the heart using polymer clay, moss, rosemary and amethyst to create a beautiful yoniheart. |
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Category: Sculpture/Art Work
 "Spring" (AA Winner)Aplicant Artist - Fiona Abel-Smith
This sculptural work has been made to celebrate the coming of Spring. From the egg itself, covered in cherry blossoms with two blue birds, to the nest the egg sits upon, and the wreath of cherry blossoms holding up the nest, the whole piece is symbolic of my favourite season, Spring. The egg represents the rebirth that Spring brings, cherry blossom is one of the international symbols of Spring, and Bluebirds are harbingers of spring in many countries. |  Springbok (EA Winner)Emerging Artist - Hetty Scott
One explanation for springboks’ ‘pronking’ is that they do it out of sheer delight, so this sculpture represents celebration of the joy of living. I wanted to tackle the challenge of sculpting an animal in mid leap, partly to represent the idea of ‘joie de vivre’ and also to address the construction challenge of suspending a sculpture above its base. I used alpaca hair (more readily available than springbok!) because it comes in a range of colours. |  Gorilla & BabyEmerging Artist - Hetty Scott
This sculpture celebrates the tenderness and joy in the relationship between parent and child which exists throughout the animal kingdom, including ourselves. The gorilla is the gentle giant of the animal world, its massive, shaggy presence belying its mainly peaceful nature. This sculpture was inspired by a film of a female gorilla playing with her baby. Natural dog hair was added to the clay and used to texture the piece. |
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 Przewalski's HorseEmerging Artist - Hetty Scott
A species being brought back from the brink of extinction, Przewalski's horse (our only truly wild horse, native to the steppes of Central Asia), is surely a reason for celebration. Real horse hair and thistledown was added to create texture. |  Skyline CelebrationEmerging Artist - Shelley Wylie
This is a depiction of celebrations in general over a skyline. Everyone loves fireworks and these generally are used for many celebrations. The skyline has areas when the lights are turned on at the back, the lights in the offices turn on. The is set over a beautiful skinner blend sunset. All fireworks are hand-painted with polymer clay and accented with gold and silver paste. |  Elephant CarnivalEmerging Artist - Krithika Rajagopal
Elephants have been an integral part of celebrations in temples and weddings in India. In Jaipur an annual elephant festival takes place to celebrate these majestic animals.I think it relates to the topic of the competition because when the elephants are decorated in their finest colourful attire, people come from around the world to cheer them and the atmosphere is very festive. |
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 Celebrating All Things Faerie!Emerging Artist - Genine Allen
My entry is a faerie house. People who know me, know that I'm not really into faeries, but I was so enthusiastic about making this faerie house. I learned a variety of techniques while working on it, and I'm so happy with the outcome that I want to celebrate! |  Fantasy Alien Floral LandscapeEmerging Artist - Gemma Lock
This piece is a celebration of the use of complex kaleidoscope cane-work and intricate forms of polymer clay to create a beautiful fantasy garden. |  Wedding CelebrationEmerging Artist - Felicity Harvey
A true celebration! A wedding! Inspired by Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle. |
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Category: Wearable Jewellery
Category: Miniature
 Fruit Bowls (AA Winner)Applicant Artist - Fiona Abel-Smith
I am a huge admirer of ceramic artists who create wonderful patterns and designs in life size bowls. This is my attempt to celebrate the floral ceramicists works, in miniature. The design of the bowls reflects the one brush flower painting technique popular in ceramics. The whole set is made in 1/12th scale. |
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 Winter Bridal Necklace (AA Winner)Emerging Artist - Fiona Abel-Smith
This necklace is designed to celebrate the wonderful occasion of a winter wedding. The varying white to purple shades in the Hellebore (Winter Rose) inspired flowers and leaves, mirror the shades found both in the flowers, but also in falls of deep snow. The deep red/brown berries act as a counterfoil and add a bit of seasonal contrast. |  Rainbow of Geometry (EA Winner)Emerging Artist - Yasmin Ali
I was inspired to use a rainbow theme because colours are a celebration! I wanted to create a piece that harmonises rainbow colours and geometric shapes (circle and triangle) … a kind of kinship between nature and science. |  Balloon Brooch (YP Winner)Young Person - Daisy Hayman
My balloon brooch is hollow to keep it light, like a real balloon. It has a flat back. Balloons are often used at celebrations and I like balloons! |
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 Celebrate the SeaEmerging Artist - Leanne Borland
In 2017, the town in which I live celebrated its 350th anniversary and held a variety of events to commemorate its long history. I used a base of shimmering sapphire, opal green and black with hints of silver leaf to invoke a feeling of the dark, stormy Winter seas, with added 'confetti' to represent the beauties the region has to offer: fields of bright yellow rapeseed, bright purple Scottish thistles, blue skies, and hints of silver and green glinting water. |  Peacock Zipper BroochEmerging Artist - Gemma Lock
This piece is a celebration of the use of kaleidoscope cane-work to create a beautiful piece of original jewellery. |
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