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AND THE WINNER IS: THE ALPACA NECKPIECE by Blanka Sperková
 In November 2006, Kath Libbert celebrated her tenth anniversary of business at Salts Mill by inviting 35 jewellers and metal smiths from the UK and abroad to create competition pieces inspired by Salts Mill, Saltaire's magnificient Victorian textile mill and model industrial village.
Over half the pieces entered into the competition sold, and were judged by an expert panel including Professor Dorothy Hogg MBE, Head of Jewellery and Silversmithing at Edinburgh College of Art and award winning painter, Simon Palmer, whose paintings of Saltaire are famous. images/news00007-kath-libbert.jpg
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The clear winner was Blanka Sperková's Alpaca neckpiece which won the public vote as well as the acclaim of the expert judges. The neckpiece (pictured above and to the left by Jon Crook, 2006) ) is finger-knitted in silver and copper wire and has special meaning to Salts Mill which gained its reputation from weaving lustrous cloth from alpaca wool in the 1800s. Blanka was awarded the prize of £500 and will receive a commission from Salts Mill later this year. In second place was an architectural silver and enamel 'Salts Windows' necklace by Sara Tunstall, followed in third place by Joanne Mckay Grana, Peru, for her woven iron wire and turquoise necklace. However, it must be stated that all of the 32 entries were fantastic in their amazingly varied and creative ways and the public loved the exhibition.
2007 is the 20th Anniversary of when Salts Mill was purchased by the late Jonathan Silver who revitalised the building and brought David Hockney's work to it. Though over half the competition pieces have been sold, many of the remaining pieces will remain at Kath Libbert's Jewellery in Salts Mill, giving more people the chance to see and purchase them during the special events which will celebrate the late Jonathan Silver's creative genuis.
Kath Libbert would like to thank all who participated in her "10 Years On" event for putting so much creative energy into the competition and for making it such a memorable celebration for everyone to share.
2nd Floor, Salts Mill
Saltaire, BD18 3LA
Tel/fax +44 (0)1274 599790
info@kathlibbertjewellery.co.uk
www.saltsmill.org.uk 
Open daily 10 am - 5.30 pm |
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