Description:
NOTE: We thank to all the participants the patience you have had with the other article we posted before about the contest rules.
We have decided to make some changes due to the request of some of our artists and to make it more fun for our community.
JLsExpressions is proud to present a jewelry contest:
"OVERCOMING THE ECONOMIC CRISIS.”
As always, our event will take place at our home website www.jewelrylessons.com
and will be promoted in:
DETAILS
As you know, some of our main materials for the manufacturing of jewelry have risen significantly in price. This affects our sales greatly since the prices of our jewelry could become too high for some customers.
JL’s E invites you all to show your creativity using any materials you want just so that you are able to decrease the cost of your piece while still maintaining the quality of your art and workmanship.
CONTEST SELECTION PROCESS
Each one of the judges has the 3 categories to evaluate:
- 1) TECHNIQUE AND EXECUTION:
this category will only be concerned with the technique, how well or beautifully finished the pieces are and solid execution. They will not take into consideration any other aspect or personal taste.
It is up to your creativity and the work of your hands to transform the ordinary into extraordinary.
- 2) DESIGN AND THEME:
this category will take in consideration the flowing lines of the piece and how well it was composed and the main idea that is to find and create a piece which appears valuable and precious, but using materials that are less expensive as a way to overcome the crisis.
The secret ingredient to a rich look is you, the artist, not the price of materials.
- 3) ORIGINALITY AND CREATIVITY:
this category will only take into consideration how creative and original the theme was developed. Also, if the piece is made on a technique in an unusual or special way.
During the second phase, judges will give points from 1 to 10 for each finalist entry. The entry with the most points will win the contest.
HOW TO POST THE PIECE?
To post a piece for the contest, you can post it in the main gallery (UPLOAD PROJECTS TO GALLERY).
The only difference is when choosing the category:
First:
JL.com's Expressions
Then choose a sub category:
Dec. 2009: Overcoming crisis
Please don’t forget to write the description for the judges to study the piece.
By following these steps your piece will belongs to the contest and can be also admired in the main gallery.
HOW MANY PIECES CAN YOU SUBMIT?
You can post as many pieces you want, but don't forget that quantity is not the same that quality.
DATE
The contest will last until January 31, 2010.
In these 2 months everybody can find enough time to design and make a beautiful piece before or after the holidays.
JUDGES AND PRIZES
Our distinguished panel of judges named alphabetically includes artists who have generously agreed to give their time and effort into judging the entries.
The following prizes that are beautiful pieces of jewelry have been generously donated by our judges and sponsors. Thank you for the contribution!
- ABBY HOOK
- BOBBI MAW
- LISA BARTH
- ENI OKEN
ABBY HOOK
Abby’s wire obsession started about 10 years ago and was a natural progression from the bead stringing and weaving that she had started with as a child. She began to make rosary necklaces and wire wrapped pendants and that developed into what you see today. She now writes tutorials in the hope that she can share the pleasure and endless possibilities of wirework with others. Today Abby has 23 tutorials. To see her work you can visit : http://www.jewelrylessons.com/abby-hook She is also a freelance writer for MAKING JEWELLERY MAGAZINE.
Our guest judge ABBY HOOK Said:: I would like to offer a prize from my latest design: The Seed of Change reversible pendant, which involves creating a frame, which skims one side of the bead, while on the other side only the outer structure wire is visible, giving the impression that the bead is poking out from the wire work.
BOBBI MAW aka BobbiWired,
Bobbi is a Master Wire-Worker and Jewelry Designer with more than 20 years experience. She shares her experience through tutorials and live classes. She currently has 11 very popular tutorials from beginner to very advanced, and specializes in modern classics. “Though I am primarily self-taught - and some of my best work has come from older wire wrappers who said "well you can't DO that, I am truly inspired by Jim Fowler, Ed Sinclair, Perri Jackson, and Diane Karg Baron - True Masters of their art. I am thoroughly addicted to wire wrapping - It is not a hobby, it is My Passion, My Love, My Living........ "
Bobbi was our winner in the Valentine jewelry contest. You can see her work and tutorials at: http://www.jewelrylessons.com/bobbiwired
Our guest judge BOBBI MAW,donated 2 beautiful and delicate pendants : One blue Star Sapphire in Sterling Silver and a Ruby Star Sapphire in GF . “I am thoroughly addicted to wire wrapping - It is not a hobby, it is My Passion, My Love, My Living........”
LISA BARTH aka JEWELRYGAL
Lisa has always been one of those "artsy people", always making something out of whatever she could get her hands on, and a regular mess along with it. Growing up in Apple Valley, Minnesota, they'd go "rock hunting" and find beautiful agates and geodes in the rich, black dirt. Her fascination with natural gemstones was established pretty early in her life. Lisa was an Art major (graphic design and photography) in college. She found her specialty in color, specifically in the physiological and emotional impact color has on people . Lisa's work are in several galleries in the Atlanta area. She also teaches beginner through advanced wire art and metal clay classes in private and group settings. She has been featured in the book Creative Canes, by Barbara McGuire, published as the cover story in the February 2008 issue of Bead&Button Magazine, Australian Beading, Creative Beading Vol. 4 and currently is featured in the November issue of Bead Style magazine. Currently Lisa is pursuing her Senior Certification in Metal Clay. Lisa is very known in this community because almost every day she is posting her new pieces and trying all kind or wire wrapping, colors and forms in her pieces. If you want to see her work, visit her at: http://www.jewelrylessons.com/jewelrygal
Our guest judge LISA BARTHprepared for this competition one of her signature pieces: a beautiful woven bezel pendant with a beaded back. "Here are some pictures of a piece I will give".
The stone is Chinese Turquoise, hand woven with 14 K gold filled wire, on a green leather cord. The back is completely beaded in by hand with glass seed beads. A one piece of a kind.
"I wanted it to be a good one, something elegant, beautiful, the best".
ENI OKEN
Eni is a multi-discipline artist: for the past 20 years, she has combined computer graphics, digital fantasy art, sculpture, jewelry, embroidery and other mixed media in whimsical and ornamental award-winning designs. Originally from Brazil, Eni was trained as an architect; however most of her artistic skills are self-taught. Eni now lives in Los Angeles where she is the founder and developer of the site JewelryLessons.com.
http://www.jewelrylessons.com/eni-0
Our sponsor ENI OKENoffered to each winner a tutorial. The winner can choose one tutorial from her long and awesome list.
The prizes will be distributed among the winners. The first place winner can choose the favorite prize from our judges and three tutorials from Eni Oken. The second place winner chooses after the first plus two tutorials from Eni Oken and the third winner will receive the last prize plus one tutorial from Eni Oken.
"Feel you don't have time to enter the contest and create for holiday sales and gift giving? No worries - enter a piece from your holiday inventory, or a gift you made for a special someone."
We hope to see our large community of jewelers participating in this international event
Good Luck
Franchezka Westwood
http://www.jewelrylessons.com/franchezka
Edited by Eni Oken and Franchezka Westwood
Great contest! Great idea!.....I can feel my brain is already working.....
Monica
Wowwiiiiiee!! This sounds like we are all in for a fantastic feast of eye candy! I can't wait to see all the wonderful entries parade before my greedy, lusting little eyes!
It's already started.. Just look at those prizes!! ¤_¤
I'd better hurry up and find a way to make a rain cape for my keyboard, so all my excessive drooling won't short circuit it.. ;-)
:)
It is wonderful to see this good energy.
Yes, the judges designed prizes are really beautiful.
I should ask if I can participate in the contest...
:)
fran
Lol Silverlox :)
and I do agree it is a great idea! *off to search for the alternative materials...*
Alecia
Fun, Fun, fun and it should spark the creative juices in all of us! Whoopee!
Dawn
Oh wow! How cool is this????!?!?! Thanks judges - now, where did I put my thinking cap.......
Francesca
Great concept!! How and where do we enter our piece?? Should we just add it to the gallery pages??
I don't want to be a spoilsport, but I keep asking myself why on earth beautiful copper was banned???? If I want to join the contest, I'd have to invest in more expensive material than I normally use. That makes the whole thing a farce, a contradictio per se! Sorry guys, I don't get the point. Would it have been really so bad to get to see many copper jewelry pieces, copper being the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of inexpensive but substantial luxury?
Jutta
What a great idea. I already have one piece of jewelry in mind, which is my personal anti-financial-crisis-and I-have-to-save-expensive-material- piece of jewelry. But it is not made of wire, not even a tiny bit. Is it possible to present it for this contest or is wire a must?
Love the idea, great premiss. I see so many great pieces on JL that already fit the bill.
But I'm in agreement with Jutta, I started thinking of designs but as Jutta said I would have to invest in some other alternative metals. Craft wire is a good addition or embellishment but I like to have a good base metal as the foundation. Copper is the first thing that comes to mind. When I did Gracie the Angel this premiss is exactly what I had in mind but her base metal is Copper.
Thanks for keeping things soooooo interesting, Pat............ :-D :-D
Hm... interesting :o)))
Overcoming economic crisis is a tough obligation but hence that some are aiming to work for themselves as good as they are not in contrast, they are trying to do things which some may assume theyre not affected by recession. I mean, getting weak in terms of money can be given a solution by making one's home presentable.Have those decors at home!Having authentic Victorian décor is all about the accessories. There are a wide range of eras and influences that Victorian decorating comes from, including gothic, classical, oriental, Italian styles, but has a character all its own.
Please post how you are supposed to enter for this contest! I created a new line of jewelry using an alternate metal this season just because of this, and can't wait to share!
sincronicity??? I'm working on a piece made with elementar and very simple materials....wowo, I want to be in this contest!
Sketching out an idea now :o) Just have to see if I can find what I'm looking for....
Dana
Thank you for your comments. I will answer your questions also.
Q- How to post the piece to the contest?
A- To post the pieces you have to choose the category:
In this way the piece will be admired in the main gallery and will also be part of the contest gallery.
Fran
This is a really exciting contest! I think it was an excellent idea to not allow copper, as it makes the contest more challenging and interesting. Now I must think of something really special for this:)
Second Answer
Q- Can we use copper as an alternative metal?
A- Yes. We decided that some pieces needs really the use of the strong copper wire as Pat Capo commented.
I also could show some pieces that another artists made mixing gold with craft wire, silver with craft wire, silver with thread, etc, but I don't want to influence your minds showing designs. Of course if your way to reduce the cost in a silver or gold piece is just using copper, you can do it.
Please read the rules where it said that the contest idea is to reduce the price in your piece. Instead to make a 100% silver or gold wire piece, you should replace at least 50% with another material so the piece should show at least 2 different materials.
Franchezka
Third Asnwer
Q- When you are referring to silver and gold wire, does that include silver plated and gold plated. thanks
A- Yes, you can use silver plated and gold plated. Anything that helps you to reduce the price of the materials.
If the piece is made 100% in gold (plated for example), the way to recude the material price for that piece, is to change at least 50% with another material, wire etc, keeping the beauty and the elegance to the piece. For example (just for example):
Lets think that you weave bracelets in gold 100%. You can change some wires for silver, so the piece will be beautiful, but not so expensive for you as just in one material. It will have a great design, technique, work, but your pocket will be less hurt. But, it is not to make the complete piece in silver either. The idea is to mix the materials.
Franchezka
now I think I am a bit confused. Are you saying that a piece must be made with two different metals, or can a piece be made with metal and stone, for example, to meet your criteria? For example, I was thinking of making something with brass and a stone or sea glass.
thanks
franchezka, how many pieces can we submit for this contest?
thanks, inge.
fourth Answer:
Q- can we use no silver/gold material at all, fran?
only cooper wire & craft wire maybe?
A- by the opposite. If you normally make a piece in gold, then you can continue using gold but just in a percentage %, and find another material , anyone, to replace the other percentage %. The piece should has at least 2 materials, one less expensier than the original but pretty as well to keep the elegance or beauty of the design. You can use anything like leather , plastic, brass, cord, rubber, silver, copper, gold, etc etc No limitations. But the piece should look expensive.
5th Answer.
Q- how many pieces can we submit for this contest?
A- You can post as many pieces you want, but don't forget that quantity is not the same that quality.
~~ prettysmartidea
I think the contest is about mixing 2 or more different wires, this can be metal wire, but also string, leather or rubber or whatever your creative mind comes up with.....the piece should be made with a metal and another material replacing at least 50% of that metal. Any material to weave, wrapp, etc. including other metals. Beads and stones are an extra that comes with the design.
5Th Answer
Q-Are you saying that a piece must be made with two different metals, or can a piece be made with metal and stone?
A-Thank you Christianne. This is an excelent answer.
Yes, the artist can not make a piece with a 100% of one metal. The piece should have at least 50% of the regular metal like silver, gold etc and another material that can be copper silver, craftwire, etc.
Here is an example:
http://www.jewelrylessons.com/gallery/keep-your-money-close
Here Cleopatra got the point! The idea was great.
-The design is new.
-She replaced the silver wire in a good percent for another material in this case pink craft wire. The piece has at least 2 materials. Beads don't count here.
- and the technique is beautiful also.