September 2014 Theme Competition

[Jemima]

September 14 Competition Theme: Silver

Post your themed pieces within this thread with a little bit about the design and the winner will be revealed at the end of the month!

The Winner will WIN a £100 shopping spree.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!


A few legalities...

Terms & conditions

No purchase necessary. The closing date for the competition will be 30.09.2014. The winner will win a £100 inc. VAT shopping spree at Cooksongold.

The judging process will take place by 08.10.2014. Our Judging Panel will make the final decision.

The Competition is open to all Cooksongold customers aged 18 years and over.

Only one entry per category per person.

There is no cash alternative. Cooksongold reserves the right to change the prize for one of equivalent value.

The winner will be notified on the forum within this thread by 08.10.2014.

Employees of Cooksongold, their agents and families are excluded from the competition together with any person connected to the competition.

Entry into the competition is deemed as acceptance of the rules. The winner agrees to participate in any publicity in connection with the competition.

To enter the competition, simply publish your design/comment within this thread.

No correspondence will be entered into. The judging panel's decision is final. The promoter is Cooksongold.

[Sandra]

I would just like to share my thoughts on Cookson Gold's monthly competition. First of all, I want to say I love the competition and it gives me the added encouragement to get back into my workshop despite the struggles of a beginner. I might have otherwise given up or put the next project aside for too long if it hadn't been for the competition. I love seeing the work of other entries, especially those that are still learning as I am. I'm not sure how to say this....but to be totally honest it is a bit discouraging to be up against professional jewellery makers who have been creating and selling jewellery for years. They, of course, have amazing work to enter that beginners could not possibly compete against. Could I possibly suggest, to have separate categories for amateurs and professionals to help level the playing field a bit?

[caroleallen]

I think that's a good idea Sandra.

[CJ57]

I agree too, it doesn't seem a very level playing field sometimes

[vsilvered]

Hmm.. I think it could get complicated.

Amateur/beginner/learners could be defined as:
* People who make jewellery in their spare time, maybe in a small home workshop
* People who rent studio space and work in fully equipped workshops after work/in their spare time and have access to a tutor
* Students studying jewellery design/making at college/uni
* Jewellery course junkies

All of these people could be capable of producing amazing pieces of work that could rival that of any ‘professional’ jewellery artist.

Ultimately, I think these competitions are as much about ‘taste’ as they are about composition, design and technique.

[caroleallen]

It is a difficult one and I also agree with the points above.

Although I could be considered a "professional", I'm always so busy churning out my stuff that I get hardly any time to spend working on anything amazing enough to enter into a competition. People who are "amateurs" and make jewellery for pleasure usually have much more time to spend on their pieces.

As Sandra says, it gives people the impetus and inspiration to up their game. The "professionals" usually only win once and lots of "amateurs" have won in the past.

On reflection, I think the competition should stay as it is.

[Dennis]

We are all very proud to have a number of highly respected professionals on this forum, but we also need to encourage beginners. Who else would post those agonised cries for help that we enjoy responding to.

To pit James’ work against the work of a beginner, for a financial prize, even though as he says he has not chosen his best work on purpose is like taking the food out of the mouths of babies. No offence intended James, just an analogy that springs to mind. Also beginners repeatedly complain here, that they do not have the wherewithal to buy even the simplest necessities for their work, so that they could well do with some cash.

V has pointed to the difficulties in deciding on someones level of competence, but just brainstorming, here are more ideas for levelling the playing field as Sandra has put it:

1.Increase the period when a winner cannot re-enter.
3.In case of a winner of many years’ standing, give part of the prize to a runner up.
3.Introduce a voluntary handicap system.

We are all grateful to our hosts for funding the prizes and how they are allocated must be their decision alone, but I have long felt that a revision of the rules is due. Dennis.

[BarryM]

I understand Sandra's point but as a beginner myself I have to say that I disagree. What I think would be fairer would be a single competition as now, with the winner from one month not being allowed to enter another comp. for 12 months. With each submission the entrant adds their own comment about their competency, e.g. "beginner hobbyist (1 year)", "professional (15 years)", etc. the awarding group can then take into account the experience / skill level of the entrant when making their choice.
A simple design that is well executed from a beginner would then have as much chance of winning as a really complex piece from a professional.
The whole thing is highly subjective and the prize, although worthwhile, is hardly a lottery win that will change your life.

[Stirring Moose]

Hmm, not sure about all this. I'm still very new to jewellery making and thus to the competition but I'm all for it staying open. I accept that to start with I'm going to get beaten silly by the quality of what the top entrants can produce. By the same logic, however, I would know that if I ever did win, there would have been nobody holding back and that, even if only on one particular day, I'd been the best. That would mean everything to me.

On a lighter note the whole thing puts me in mind of Lord Hesketh's reasoning for moving his Formula Two team up to Formula One: "If you're going to mess about at the back, you might as well do it in the real thing!"

And little Hesketh even managed to put one over the mighty Ferrari eventually. Food for thought...

S.M.

[Stirring Moose]

Also, on a practical note, if the competition has all these extra rules, who's going to take the time to police them? Could be something to be said for an approach of "the fewer the rules, the harder it is to cheat". A cynical view perhaps but do we, or Cookson's for that matter, have time for a load of extra complication?

S.M.