Kilkenny jewellery students recognised at national awards

Three jewellery students based in Kilkenny have been announced as recipients of the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland’s (DCCoI) Future Makers Awards & Supports programme for 2019. 

Future Makers is one of Europe’s largest prize-funded award programmes for students and emerging makers and a total of €25,000 was awarded to 23 designers and craftspeople this year. The announcement took place at an awards ceremony last Friday, 14th June in The Westbury, Dublin which was officially opened by fashion designer, educator and former Future Makers winner, Natalie B. Coleman. The certificates were presented to the recipients on the night by DCCoI Chair Breege O’Donoghue.

 The three recipients are studying at DCCoI’s Centre of Excellence in Jewellery and Goldsmithing in Kilkenny and were awarded in the Student/Recent Graduate category:

Mark Newman received Professional Development Support (€500) with the judges commenting that ‘The finish of this work is extraordinary. Mark demonstrated a considered and skilled use of materials; gold and stone.’ The judges were especially taken with his Hierarchy ring (pictured on right above). Mark is originally from Dalkey in Dublin.
Travel and Training Support (€500) was awarded to Annemarie Reinhold, who is originally from Germany, with the judges commenting that ‘the craftsmanship and finish of this work is extraordinary.’ They also admired the ambition of her travel plans and felt making international connections would be a positive strategic activity to support.
Travel and Training Support (€500) was also awarded to Roscommon native Lydia Clayton. Commenting on her jewellery, the judges said: ‘A clear passion for her craft is evident in this piece. Her skills with metal shows a commitment to craftsmanship and tradition.’
 

Divided into student/recent graduate and emerging maker categories, the Future Makers Awards & Supports programme recognises and rewards vision, innovation and excellence in both making and the creative process and is one of several DCCoI initiatives supporting a new generation of talent in the design and craft sector. Celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2019, this year’s prize fund was increased to €25,000 reflecting DCCoI’s ongoing commitment to supporting and investing in the potential of talented makers that are in the crucial early stages of their career journeys.

Future Makers 2019 received the highest number of entries to date with 214 applications submitted and assessed through a formal judging process. Entries for 2019 were evaluated by a panel of national and international judges over two stages. The first round was judged by Frances McDonald, Contemporary Design and Craft Consultant and Paula McCoy, Homeware Buyer at Arnotts who selected a longlist from the initial applications. At the second round, a final group of 23 designers and makers were chosen to receive awards and supports by independent curator Brian Kennedy and fashion designer Alison Conneely. Demonstrating innovation and creativity as well as traditional and modern techniques, the 23 successful applicants come from a broad range of disciplines, from textile design to jewellery, ceramics to metal making, and from throughout the island of Ireland.

Karen Hennessy, Chief Executive of the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland, said: ‘Supporting and nurturing a pipeline of talented Irish designers and makers with the requisite knowledge and skills to meet future needs is a key strategic aim of the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Future Makers and over those ten years €285,000 has been invested in awards and supports to 252 Irish designers and craftspeople, including this year’s programme. We are delighted that so many Irish designers and craftspeople have benefitted from this initiative during this time. Through the support of Future Makers, our aim is to encourage the next generation to grow their skills and expertise and to give them the confidence to take the next step in their development. We congratulate the recipients of Future Makers 2019 and look forward to collaborating with them in future programmes as their careers progress.’

Future Makers judge Alison Conneely is a past winner having received the overall Future Makers Award in 2013. She is among many previous winners and recipients who have established and developed careers across a wide range of design specialities in the creative sector. These include fashion designers Pearl Reddington, Natalie B. Coleman, and Sorcha O’Raghallaigh; jewellers Genevieve Howard and Pierce Healy; leather artist Úna Burke; ceramicist Ann McBride; design studios Elements of Action and Superfolk; and furniture designers Cillian Ó Súilleabháin and Alan Meredith.

The RDS Craft Awards 2020 will be open to winners of DCCoI Future Makers Awards & Supports 2019. Five bursaries of €10,000 each will be awarded for the development of business and craft skills to those pursuing a professional career in the sector. The award can be spent on further education and training, research, development of new work, mentoring, purchase of equipment, studio improvements, website and residencies. See rds.ie/craft for information.