Thursday, June 09, 2011

getting frazzled...

SO, my degree students have now all been graded and are awaiting their results after four non-stop days of marking, external exams and exam boards. Their degree show is tomorrow night and I am looking forward to that immensely. Unfortunately, it means that we've slightly neglected our other students and I forgot to mention that the HND, HNC and NQ students have been working hard to get their own entries ready for the prestigious Glasgow-wide competition run by the venerable Trades House of Glasgow.

Here are some photographs of their work:

Trades House Competition 2011 - 1


The Trades Hall is a lovely building, but it is not really suitable for the exhibition of the work which they very generously sponsor. This overview of the display shows that the jewellery is not, perhaps, shown to best advantage. However, that is not in any way to detract from the fact that this is a fantastic competition and very, very popular with the students and general public, covering not only jewellery but fashion, furniture-making, photography, stained-glass and a wealth of other craft subjects.

Trades House Competition 2011 - 2


Unfortunately, my favourite piece didn't come out in this photograph, Marie Gideonsson's marvellous silver, sea-glass, feather and tourmaline brooch. I'll aim to get another photograph when it is returned next week. Left, kinetic pendant by Cate McColl and right, kinetic pendant by Sinéad Gow, another lovely piece. These pieces are all by my first-year students, as is the next piece (which also won a prize), the pendant and earring set by Margo Shaw:

Trades House Competition 2011 - 3


On the left is a pendant by Arturo Lopez, also in the first year.

Jay McLean made this Crazy Squid pendant, which didn't win a prize but should have:

Trades House Competition 2011 - 4


Jay is on our HND programme and will be coming back for the degree next year, as will Alexs McIlwraith who made this lovely clock:

Trades House Competition 2011 - 5


Last but not least is the Sgian-dubh by Elaine McKay - also and HND student, returning next year for the degree -  made from silver, a scottish agate, damascus steel and bog oak:

Trades House Competition 2011 - 6

I rather foolishly forgot to photograph the other prize we won, the "Advanced Jewellery" category, won by Imogen Doherty, but I will post that next week when the prizes come back.
After a flying visit to this show, it was off to Glasgow School of Art For their degree show but I will post that tomorrow as I can't be bothered editing all the photographs just now!