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Entering design competitions is an excellent and engaging exercise for any jewelry designer. It is an opportunity to solve specific design issues and an exercise to see if you can stand up to the challenges posed with design flexibility and innovation.

Competitions are a great way to find out if you have the ability, knowledge, and passion to drive the idea through to conclusion. Besides, if the result is favorable and your idea stands out among thousands of your peers, it is quite gratifying and encouraging. Winning a competition can fortify your position and ability to read trends, lead through design, and inspire.

International competitions have always looked for pieces that are extraordinary, original, innovative, and inspiring. The idea is to creatively feature materials like Tahitian cultured pearls and diamonds in a unique and thought-provoking way.

There are quite a few international competitions that really influence future trends. If you follow jewelry trends closely, it is quite obvious how these creations create a trickledown effect into mainstream jewelry. For example, Baggins and I are working now on a more market appropriate collection based on my award-winning Tahitian cultured pearl neckpiece. We are hoping to unveil this collection during the upcoming Las Vegas show this June.

INSPIRATION IS WORK

Contrary to the popular misconception that creative solutions happen in a flash of inspiration, design is a conscious decision making process, armed with information, investigation, and investment. Entering a design competition takes a significant time commitment. If your work is selected, it can take anywhere between six to eight months. It also depends on the complexity of your idea and the fabrication methods involved.

Your creative process should start by considering the theme of the competition you want to enter. There are multiple methods one can apply to interpret a theme. I agree with what I read somewhere that theme is the envelope in which concept is sent. It is the tone of a piece, its emotional appeal, and style of presentation. I try to make sure that each of the elements within the piece points toward the specified theme to maximize its connection with the audience.

While interpreting a theme, I try to look for the obvious but also for the unpredictable while exploring subtle ways of thematically enforcing the message of the design. It is always my intention to keep my audience in mind. In this regard, designers have to be careful not to design only to please themselves, but consider how others would see the same theme.