Technology shapes this year’s jewellery student exhibition
See the artistry of 27 up-and-coming designers at the VCC Jewellery Art & Design Student Exhibition. The annual show runs from Thursday, May 23 to Thursday, June 13 and promises to offer a peek into the future of jewellery design.
Each year, students finishing first and second year of VCC's jewellery art and dessign program are given five weeks to create a collection for the exhibition. This show acts as a capstone project, showcasing the technical and design skills they have learned throughout the year.
Each student designs and creates five pieces within a chosen theme. The display is also an important part of the project, and each student creates a display-case “environment” in which to show their pieces.
This year, technology forms the basis of several collections, with jewellery that speaks to the ways it shapes our lives. One collection is inspired by 1980’s space art. Another features kinetic jewellery for fidgeting fingers, designed to soothe the anxiety felt by so many in the digital age. Other themes include “Monsters of the Deep”, “Otherworldly Flora,” and cultural influences from students’ Scottish, Persian, Chinese, and Mexican heritages.
“We believe the best way for young designers to set their line apart from other jewellery collections is to look outside of jewellery for inspiration,” says VCC jewellery art and design department leader Karin Jones. “The broad range of inspiration is reflected in the diversity of styles seen at our year-end show.”
This year’s exhibition begins with a gala opening on Thursday, May 23 from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring award presentations, canapés, and a cash bar. Each year, the gala opening is a who’s who of Vancouver’s jewellery world, as alumni, jewellery professionals, and industry leaders mingle with students, friends, and family.
This year will also be the fourth year that Wade Papin and Danielle Willmore, founders of Pyrrha Jewellery, present the Pyrrha Scholarship, the largest award given to a VCC jewellery art and design student, consisting of one year’s tuition plus mentorship from the successful duo.
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The VCC Jewellery Art & Design Student Exhibition runs until Thursday, June 13 and is open Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Atrium at VCC’s Downtown campus. (Enter at Dunsmuir and Hamilton Streets).