(PRESS RELEASE) Rio Grande, the organizer of the Saul Bell Design Award (saulbellaward.com), announces the 45 finalists of the 2019 Saul Bell Design Award competition, as well as the two panels of experts tasked with judging the finalists’ work.
Now in its 19th year, this international competition challenges designers to pick up their tools and seize the moment.
Since launching in 2001, the Saul Bell Design Award has become one of the most sought-after honors for jewelers and metalsmiths worldwide.
In the Saul Bell Design Award competition, two rounds are judged by a total of 10 jewelers and industry leaders who are masters of their craft. In the initial round, five judges look for originality of design, proposed use of materials, and aesthetics to select finalists. In the final round, a second panel of five judges examines completed finalist pieces up close, in the hand, and on model, looking for successful incorporation of materials, wearability (except in the Hollowware category) and quality of workmanship.
There are nine categories in the 2019 competition: Gold/Platinum, Silver/Argentium Silver, Enamel, Hollowware/Art Objects, Alternative Metals/Materials, two categories of Jewelry Collection, and two categories of Emerging Jewelry Artist.
The two Jewelry Collection categories invite designers to create a cohesive set of wearable pieces (such as a coordinated necklace, bracelet and pair of earrings). Jewelers can compete in Jewelry Collection Couture/Fine, representing a line of luxury jewelry, or Jewelry Collection Fashion/Bridge, representing a line of trend-setting jewelry. The Emerging Jewelry Artist categories encompass two age ranges: 18 years old and younger (high school age), or 22 years old and younger (college age) as of October 25, 2018.
In this international competition, finalists were selected from hundreds of entries, hailing from 19 countries. Winners will be announced at an awards dinner to be held on May 19, 2019, in Albuquerque, NM. Downloadable high-resolution photos of each entry are available at saulbellaward.com.
2019 Finalists
Gold/Platinum
“The Mystic Fountain” by Garen Garibian (Los Angeles, CA)
“Jellyfish Earrings” by Pavit Gujral (Chandigarh, India)
“Star Hen Galaxy Pendant” by Adam Neeley (Laguna Beach, CA)
“Moebius No.1” by Pierre-Yves Paquette (Saint-Jerome, QC, Canada)
“Queen Bee” by Llyn Strong (Greenville, SC)
Silver/Argentium Silver
“Flowering” by Christine De Vogel (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
“Prospect Palace” by Mehrnoosh Ganji (Melbourne, Australia)
“Suftal Fidda” by Maja Houtman (Utrecht, Netherlands)
“Counterpoint” by Han-Yin Hsu (Tacoma, WA,)
“An Elegant Disintegration” by Andi Terry (Liberty Hill, TX)
Enamel
“The Endless Love” by Garen Garibian (Los Angeles, CA,)
“Collection of Thirteen Eyes” by Lillian Jones (Raleigh, NC)
“Spirit & Flame” by Sandra McEwen (Raleigh NC)
“Releasing Butterflies” by Sydney Scherr (Santa Fe, NM)
“Lineal Alchemy” by Debbie Sheezel (Melbourne, Australia)
Hollowware/Art Objects
“Cherry Blossom in Winter Snow” by Marilyn Bailey (Hendersonville, NC)
“The Echinacea Teapot” by Valerie Jo Coulson (Pequea, PA)
“Luminous Relic #1628” by David Huang (Sand Lake, MI)
“Well of Life” by Janet Huddie (Crownsville, MD)
“Agave Pitcher” by Preston Jones (New York, NY)
Alternative Metals/Materials
“Bear Bones” by Heidi Kummli (Nederland, CO)
“Eclipsim” by Kirk Lang (Seattle, WA)
“Torus Bracelet for an Astronaut” by Ezra Satok-Wolman (Caledon, ON, Canada)
“The Dweller of Unal” by Judicael Vales (Nevada City, CA)
“Light Two” by Ashley Warsaw-Fiorvanti (Hilton Head Island, SC)
Jewelry Collection Couture/Fine
“Sunshine and Shadow” by Valerie Jo Coulson (Pequea, PA)
“Christmas Tree Worm Collection” by Pavit Gujral (Chandigarh, India)
“HELICES” by Sophia Hu (Las Vegas, NV)
“Pablo Neruda Collection” by Eva Martin (Queensland, Australia)
“Illusion Collection” by Farzaneh Nozari (Savannah, GA)
Jewelry Collection Fashion/Bridge
“Kirigami Pearl Collection” by Karin Jacobson (Minneapolis, MN)
“Migration of Butterflies” by Wiwat Kamolpornwijit (Alexandria, VA)
“A Thousand Masks” by Zejia Lin; Dongguan GAFA Culture & Creativity Institute (Guangdong, China)
“Jupiter” by Liz Sabol (Pittsburgh, PA)
“Fusing and Freezing” by Mingshuai Sun; Dongguan GAFA Culture & Creativity Institute (Guangdong, China)
Emerging Jewelry Artist 18 Years of Age or Younger
“Heirloom” by Jade Adelman (Haverford, PA)
“Mokume Chainmail Choker” by Ethan Hansen (Salida, CO)
“Midnight” by Christopher Liu (Allen, TX)
“Howling Wolf” by Alexandra Ortiz (Fort Worth, TX)
“Seraphina” by Abby Schwab (Fort Atkinson, WI)
Emerging Jewelry Artist 22 Years of Age or Younger
“That Which Could Not Be Done” by James Betts (Christiana, PA)
“Flower of Life Amulet” by Tristan Dunn (Asheville, NC)
“Dinner Ring” by Nicholas Hesson (Holland, PA)
“Open Spiculum Cuff with Black Diamond” by Timo Krapf (Pittsford, NY)
“Splash” by Dillon McNamara (Longmont, CO)
2019 Judges
Judge bios and photos are available at saulbellaward.com.
First Round
Munya Avigail-Upin—jeweler, educator and co-owner of Alchemy 9.2.5. fine jewelry gallery
Ann Cahoon—jeweler, educator, writer and 2010 Saul Bell Design Award finalist
Jim Dailing—educator, metalsmith and custom bridal jeweler
Shane Hendren—award-winning jeweler, designer and Rio Grande Jewelry Tech Team member
Gloria Stewart—custom jeweler and designer
Final Round
Victoria Adams—award-winning jeweler and designer
Jason Marchiafava—master jeweler, engraver, educator/mentor at New Approach School for Jewelers
Claudio Pino—lapidary artist, jeweler, designer and Metal Arts Guild of Canada Master of all Metal
Emily Benoist Ruffin—2002 Saul Bell Design Award-winning jeweler and designer
Marc Williams—goldsmith, production and custom jeweler and designer