Awards & Sponsorship

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Brett Payne

Jewellery & Precious Metals Category

Brett Payne
www.brettpayne.com

I have over twenty years experience as a Contemporary British Silversmith. I am a Freeman of The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths’, a Council member of the Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council and a Director of British Silver Week. Since graduating from Sheffield Hallam University with a BA Hons in 3-Dimensional Design I have received many awards for design and craftsmanship. In the mid 1990s I was awarded the title of ‘Designer of the Year’ at the prestigious UK Jewellery Awards. Awards for Technical Innovation, from The Cutlers’ Company, have gone hand in hand with Awards for Design from The Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council, and recently I have won two awards for my work from De Stichting Zilverkunst in Schoonhoven, Holland. I regularly exhibit my work both in the UK and abroad, most notably at The Pompidou Centre, Paris; The Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto; The Keith Lippert Gallery, Washington; The Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow and at The Goldsmiths’ Hall, London. My work can be seen in numerous collections, including the V&A in London and The Vintners’ Company.

Judge’s Statement

Judging the entries in the Jewellery & Precious Metals category of the craft&design Selected Awards 2011 has been not just a great honour but a fascinating and far more difficult task than I imagined it would be.

The ‘final six’ presented a range of work and approaches that were as impressive as they were diverse; picking a winner was not easy. I was particularly struck on reading the accompanying statements and notes supplied by the entrants at the sheer number of shows and exhibitions that they had individually been involved in, and with the accompanying media coverage they had managed to achieve. Such impressive CVs are testament to the hard work and dedication they are clearly all putting into their various businesses.

I have also thoroughly enjoyed the task of carefully going through each of the entrants’ websites – these too are universally impressively presented, showcasing some interesting and thought provoking work.

But, from it all I have had to pick a winner and Georgina Ettridge’s work, approach and aspiration stand out for me. The professionalism of her work and presentation is obvious at first sight and her determination to advance her own practical skills to enable her to understand and carry out every aspect of manufacturing her work is something that I have particular respect for.

I would like to express my admiration for all six of the finalists and wish them all well in their careers, may they all go from strength to strength.

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