At a celebration dinner held on May 21 during the Santa Fe Symposium® in Albuquerque, NM, Rio Grande announced the winners of the 17th annual Saul Bell Design Award competition. Through rigorous judging, two panels of experts chose first- and second-place winners in each of eight competitive categories, as well an overall Best of Show winner. Prizes, awards and congratulations were presented to each winning designer at the gala dinner. The winning designs, as well as all finalist pieces, are featured online at saulbellaward.com.
2017 Judges
Final-round judge bios and photos are available at saulbellaward.com.
Final Round
Debbie Sheezel, internationally recognized enamelist
Kaminer Haislip, award-winning silversmith and educator
Mark Mann, GIA Senior Director of Global Jewelry Manufacturing Arts
Michael Good, metalworking pioneer and advocate
Kent Raible, master goldsmith
First Round
Joseph DeBella, gemstone dealer, importer and jewelry designer
Phillip Scott, metalsmith
Royce Kohlmeyer, artist
Maria Samora, artist and designer
Emily Benoist Ruffin, designer and goldsmith
2017 Best of Show Winner:
Valerie Jo Coulson*
"Firenze"
Pequea, PA, USA
*2002 SBDA Finalist, Gold/Platinum; 2014 SBDA First Place, Silver/Argentium® Silver
2017 Gold/Platinum Category Winners:
First Place
Sarah Williamson
"Unfurl Rebel Jewel"
Nevada City, CA, USA
Second Place
Henry Spencer*
"Sinuous Line"
Effingham, NH, USA
2017 Silver/Argentium® Silver Category Winners:
First Place
Arturo Sanfelix Garcia
"Passarola"
Valencia, Valencia, Spain
Second Place
Matthieu Cheminee*
"Stampclastic"
Montreal, QC, Canada
*2006 SBDA Finalist, Gold/Platinum
2017 Metal Clay Category Winners:
First Place
Cindy Miller
"Cultivated Woodland"
Athens, AL, USA
Second Place
Liz Sabol
"Cheshire Cat"
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
*2016 SBDA Finalist, Metal Clay
2017 Enamel Category Winners:
First Place
Sandra McEwen*
"Fool's Errand"
Raleigh, NC, USA
*2015 SBDA Second Place, Enamel
Second Place
Nicolette Absil
"Dried Flower Series: Chrysanthemum"
Philadelphia, PA, USA
2017 Hollowware/Art Objects Category Winners:
First Place
Aleksandr Maryaskin*
"Discovery of Eggcellence"
Yorktown, VA, USA
*2014 SBDA First Place, Hollowware/Art Objects
Second Place
Henry Spencer
"Nuthatch Box"
Effingham, NH, USA
2017 Alternative Metals/Materials Category Winners:
First Place
Andy Cooperman
"Poison Ring No. 2"
Seattle, WA, USA
Second Place
Sophia Hu
"Turning "
Las Vegas, NV, USA
2017 Emerging Jewelry Artist 22 Years of Age and Younger Category Winners:
First Place
Jason Baide*
"Flexibility"
Bozeman, MT, USA
*2016 SBDA Emerging Jewelry Artist, Third Place
Second Place
Yeonjung Hong
"Embrace"
Providence, RI, USA
2017 Emerging Jewelry Artist 18 Years of Age and Younger Category Winners:
First Place
Autumn Lee
"Rocket Askew"
Auburn, WA, USA
Second Place
Jordan Harrison
"Locked In"
Auburn, WA, USA
2017 Finalists
Gold/Platinum
“Angel’s Teardrops” by Garen Garibian* (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
*2016 SBDA First Place, Gold/Platinum
“Ruby Flora Cuff” by Ricardo Basta (Century City, CA, USA)
“Aqua Morgana” by Adam Neeley (Laguna Beach, CA, USA)
Silver/Argentium® Silver
“Origami Butterfly” by Sophia Hu (Las Vegas, NV, USA)
“Aspen” by Wolfgang Vaatz* (Rio Rico, AZ, USA)
*2016 SBDA Second Place, Silver/Argentium® Silver
“Flipping Wedges Bangle” by Dana Fear (Cedar, MI, USA)
Metal Clay
“Triptych” by Iwona Tamborska (Kraków, Poland)
“Fairy Flower Wreath” by Helen Sang (Pärnu, Estonia)
“Thorn Bird” by Wendy Wallin Malinow* (Portland, OR, USA)
*2002 SBDA First Place, Precious Metal Clay®; 2005 SBDA Finalist, Precious Metal Clay; 2008 SBDA Swarovski® “Create Your Own
Style” Award Winner; 2010 SBDA First Place, Metal Clay
Enamel
“Evolutionary Ring” by Palash Banerjee (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
“Warm Embrace” by Marcus Synnot (Mt. Claremont, Western Australia)
“La Luna” by Karen Olsen Ramsey (Grass Valley, CA, USA)
Hollowware/Art Objects
“Royal Coach” by Leonardo Maldonado (Delray Beach, FL, USA)
“The Crane and Plum” by Haiyin Liang (Xiamen, Fujian, China)
“Golden Botrus Teapot” by Genevieve Flynn* (Kansas City, MO, USA)
*2015 SBDA Second Place, Hollowware/Art Objects
Alternative Metals/Materials
“Old World Vines” by Valerie Ostenak (Phoenix, AZ, USA)
“3 Lines and 9 Dots” by E. Douglas Wunder (Kutztown, PA, USA)
Emerging Jewelry Artist 22 Years of Age or Younger
“Tomato Flower” by Valerie James (Lansdale, PA, USA)
“Treasure Box” by Steven Voorheis (Cannon Beach, OR, USA)
“Mismatched” by Ryan Bodley (Westerville, OH, US)
Emerging Jewelry Artist 18 Years of Age or Younger
“Sovereign Ring” by Matthew Tom (Wellesley, MA, USA)
“Aspirations” by Sinclaire Vandervoort (Wellesley, MA, USA)
“The Reign Never Ceases” by Jhordin Prescott (Auburn, WA, USA)
About Rio Grande: Among the largest worldwide suppliers to the jewelry industry, Rio Grande was founded in 1944 by Saul Bell, a skilled bench jeweler, teacher and mentor who supported metalsmiths and jewelers throughout his life. Today, Rio Grande is a member of The Richline Group, a Berkshire Hathaway Company, and remains committed to supporting jewelers in every way possible.
Since launching in 2001, the Saul Bell Design Award has become one of the most sought-after prizes for jewelers and metalsmiths worldwide. For information about the 2018 Saul Bell Design Award competition, designers are invited to call 800.952.6222 or email [email protected]. Visit saulbellaward.com for general information about the Saul Bell Design Award competition.
