UCA honoured by Goldsmiths' Council
The Goldsmiths' Design and Craft Council has awarded the prestigious College Trophy Award to the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) for the 19th time in 20 years.
The presentation was made during the annual Craftsmanship and Design Awards at Goldsmiths' Hall in London on 5 March 2012 where UCA Rochester BA (Hons) Silversmithing, Goldsmithing and Jewellery students took home six other awards.
Course leader, Robert Birch, said: "It is a huge honour to win the College Trophy Award once again. It is fantastic that the Goldsmiths' Design and Craft Council values and appreciates our focus on creativity and employment within the precious metal industry, alongside the training and skills that we also provide.
"Having only recently taken over the reigns of the degree, this award is shared with my predecessors Brian Hill, John Cruse and Bob May who have made the course what it is today."
After a Gold and Silver win last year, Third Year student Charlig Bouedo took home two Silver Awards in the Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Junior Modelmaking categories for his set of Oil and Soy Pourers.
Charlig, who is 23 and from Venezuela, said: "Winning anything in a competition where there are over 600 entries makes me very happy.
"It's also thrilling that my skills as a designer and craftsman are appreciated by the very best in the silversmithing & jewellery industry – hopefully having these awards on my CV will help me get a job when I graduate.
"When I was back in Venezuela and looking for a place to study crafts, I only only applied to UCA because I knew it had the best course in all of Europe."
The other UCA winners include: Sanni Falkenberg, who received the Gem-A Diamond Scholarship Award for her Silver Monster Ring and a Silver Award for her set of carved agate rings; Clair Simms (Medal) and Chris Castillo (flower vase) also took home Silver Awards.
The Jacques Cartier Memorial Award, which is considered to be the industry's premier award and the biggest prize of the night, was presented to UCA Silversmithing, Goldsmithing and Jewellery graduate Gavin Haselup.
Robert added: "The Jacques Cartier award is given at the discretion of the Council for exceptional and outstanding craftsmanship, so Gavin's extraordinary achievement illustrates the possibilities following a good craftsmanship and design education at UCA Rochester."
The Goldsmiths' Craft and Design Council was founded in 1908 and today it still carries forward its original remit to encourage, stimulate and promote the pursuit of excellence in craftsmanship and design amongst all those in the United Kingdom engaged in silversmithing, goldsmithing, jewellery and allied crafts.
For more information contact:
David Reilly, Press Officer, UCA
T: 01252 892939
E: dreilly@ucreative.ac.uk
