Annual Lewton-Brain Foldform Competition Winners Announced

FLORIDA, N.Y. - Aug. 6, 2013 - PRLog -- Entries to the second annual foldform competition came from Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, UK, and 16 states in the U.S. While many entries continue to be explorations of foldforming as a jeweler's technique, entrants also included functional works, large-scale public sculptures, and the inclusion of unconventional materials. 

First Place in this year's competition was awarded to Yuka Okane Inoue of Lake Forest, Illinois, with "Looking Up At the Sky II", a 3" x 3" x 3.5" sculpture in sterling silver, fine silver, Japanese alloys and diamond. 

Second Place was awarded to Rauni Higson with "Persephone", a raised vase with foldforms in Britannia silver at 21.65" tall. Higson, who is from Caernarfon U.K., was the First Place winner in the inaugural Foldform Competition. 

Ed Lay of El Cerrito California was named Third Place with "FF Bowl 5" in copper and vitreous enamel, a bowl of  cross and line folds within synclastic and anticlastic curves. 

This year the judges awarded two Honorable Mentions, one to Gayle Whiteley Minjarez for "Origami Bracelet" in sterling and reticulated silver at 1" x 6 - 3/4", and one to Eva Zuzuarregui for "Viento en Cara", a necklace of sterling silver at 8.5" x 6.5" x .5". Minjarez and Zuzuarregui are artists in Santa Barbara and Carlsbad, California respectively. 

The judges also made a selection of Jurors' Choice winners which will be featured along with the prize winners in a second annual video of the best entries. The top prize winners and Jurors' Choice selections will also planned to be published in hard cover and e-book form. Jurors' Choice winners are, in alphabetical order, Mira Benoni's "Blooming Basket", Pat Downing's "Untitled", Robert Fear's "Star Earrings", Christine Finch's "Gathering", Rauni Higson with "Fore-armed" and "Spinal", Denys Knight with "Winter Moon" and "Riptide", Ed Lay's "FF Bowl 6", Kenneth MacBain with "Salt and Pepper Shakers" 1 and 2, Mary K. MackIntyre with "Por Frida" and "Georgia's Orchid", Yuka Okane Inoue's "Find Me; I'm Here", Kaiya Rainbolt's "Evolution", Liz Reed's "Leafy Sea dragon",  Bill Robert's "aSpire", Greta Shiegg's "Zipper Cuff", Catherine Sheedy's "Connexion", and Susan Thornton's "Swirling Leaves".

Judges for the competition were Charles Lewton-Brain, Hazel Wheaton of Art Jewelry Magazine, and Rhoda Weber Mack of Center for Metal Arts. The competition is hosted by the Center or Metal Arts, and sponsored this year by jewelry supplier Rio Grande and Art Jewelry Magazine. Sue Lacy was competition director. 

The Center for Metal Arts launched the annual foldforming competition to document the evolution of foldforming techniques since the 1980's when it was first developed by Charles Lewton-Brain. The annual event is open to entries worldwide. Images of the competition winners are posted on www.Centerformetalarts.com/blog and on www.facebook/CenterForMetalArts, and next year's competition will be announced in early 2014 on these sites. The competition coincides with the annual summer Foldform Workshops with Charles Lewton-Brain at the Center for Metal Arts in Florida, NY.

Lewton-Brain and other metal artist educators give workshops throughout the year at the downstate NY metal arts teaching studio, with weekend and small group instruction. The Center for Metal Arts is located in the black dirt fam community of Florida in the Hudson Valley just one hour north of New York City, in the historic 1890's Borden's Creamery Icehouse. Workshops and events are posted on www.centerformetalarts.com, and the studio is open for visitors to explore the icehouse gallery floor.