The 8th annual National Jewellery Student Competition Exhibition

The 2011 winner of the 8th annual National Jewellery Student Competition is Amanda Memme from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.

Selection for the exhibition is based on technical excellence, ingenuity, and strength of creative vision. Objects as well as jewellery, one-of-a-kind as well as production prototypes are equally considered. Students of any year from a Canadian diploma-granting educational institution are invited to apply.

The five finalists:
Amanda Memme, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design
Audree Hamelin St.-Amour, New Brunswick College of Craft and Design
Erica Leal, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design
Anne-Sophie Vallee, Ecole de joaillerie de Montreal
Katie Wright, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design

The five finalists present radically different bodies of work. Amanda Memme’s mixed media series comments on the origin and visual aspect of stereotyping in Western society. Individual pieces range from a regal headdress, “Mascot”, made of hockey pucks and tape, bottle caps and skate laces to a large brooch entitled “Der Fuehrer’s Face” that itself is composed of five smaller brooches. Audree Hamelin St. Amour mixes mink fur into her “Feast” neckpiece that knots and drapes silver chain. Erica Leal’s “Face Value” series addresses the notion of personal identity and has a performance aspect: the brass compacts and lockets contain lenses and images that project masks onto the wearer’s face. Anne-Sophie Vallee presents one of a kind sculptural jewellery in which large and complex forms are rendered quite natural. Katie Wright’s “Portable Sketches” are brightly coloured three-dimensional line drawings that express emotion, intuition and movement.