University News Last updated 01 August 2017
A number of selected graduates from last year attended the prestigious New Designers exhibition to showcase what they’re doing now and how they’ve taken their art forward. As part of this judges picked their favourite work and crowned HND Jewellery and Silversmithing graduate, Stephanie Holt, winner of the New Designers One Year On Award 2017.
Stephanie’s award-winning collections were a continuation of her final-year project (during which she created an engagement ring and a wedding ring) and included necklaces, an eternity ring, bracelets and earrings. The judges commented:
Her spectacular prize included: a one year membership to Design Nation, £500 worth of online training with Design Trust, £500 Moo.com credit and a Showcase Exhibition at the National Centre for Craft & Design.
One of the rings in her collection was created for a live project with Weston Beamor, one of the most respected and trusted names in the jewellery industry. Having taking a non-traditional route into the industry, Stephanie praised the course for the number of opportunities it provided to work on live projects and with industry. This access helped her to learn about different skills and trades and the layers that make up the whole industry.
Stephanie’s collection also included a ring that she’d created whilst an artist in residence at the School of Jewellery and that had gone on to win a Gold Award at the 2017 Goldsmiths’ Awards. As an artist in residence at the School, Stephanie was able to continue working on her collections, developing them and get invaluable advice from technical staff and lecturers. Her residency also allowed her to support students by running specialist workshops and helping them with their design work or making skills. Speaking about her experience Stephanie said:
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