Artist Spotlight | 7 Vancouver Jewellery Designers to watch in 2022
Updated: Oct 9, 2022
Meet the VCC Jewellery Art and Design Class of '22
2022 Student Exhibition
May 27–June 13th 2022
The VCC Jewellery Art and Design year-end exhibition is an annual showcase of work by first- and second-year students. This year, the exhibition showcased 24 exceptional new talents, with seven of them belonging to the 2022 graduating year.
This exhibition is notable for highlighting artists that overcame the challenges of learning and cultivating studio practices during a pandemic.
VCC continued to offer the Jewellery Art and Design curriculum throughout 2020-2022 by hybridizing their program into a combination of in-person and online learning. For a program requiring intense hands-on training, the students had to adapt to online learning for courses such as gemmology, drawing, history, and design. With limited days in the studio, students were also required to create a full-on at-home studio environment.
Even with these adaptations, the students didn’t let the limitations wreck their spirits, instead pushing further and farther. Their final capstone collections demonstrated the breadth and talent of a very determined and passionate team of seven that persevered to turn a fraught time in history into a great learning experience.
We are proud to present the 2022 graduating students from VCC’s Jewellery Art and Design program
Clémence Beurton
"Depths Euphoria: Art form from the Abyss"
Depths Euphoria explores the fruitful marriage of the microorganisms found in the depths, employing Art Nouveau lines to create a new visual language. In the style of a fish tank designed to discover the microscopic world of the abyss, this collection aims to create a dialogue between the source of inspiration and a historic art form.
Clémence Beurton is the recipient of the Karl Brown Scholarship for overall technical excellence.
Evan Matthews
"Thank You for Participating!"
A utopia seemingly surrounds our sprawling urban landscape with everything at the swipe of a fingerprint. Food, sex, literature, entertainment; almost anything we desire can simply magically appear out of thin air. These pieces are a commentary on the destruction of the human psyche from social media and Monarch programming.
Iris Lo
"My Lunch Stinks"
The concept behind this piece is to capture the preciousness of our individual cultures, things we are proud of, and to portray them as little treasures. Designed to fit together like a small box, Iris’ collection brings to mind memories of childhood lunches packed for school. The bangle and hairpin form the walls and the lid of the box and is filled with treasures, like a packed lunch. She also draws on jewellery as a memento or treasure chest - each piece being a treasured piece to keep and rediscover every time you open up the box.
Kale Needham
"Pieces of Us"
Kale’s collection is an exploration of masculinity, femininity, and the complexities of gender identity. The pieces reflect their experience as a trans person, and more specifically their process transitioning over the past decade. This body of work incorporates the juxtaposition of ‘oppositional’ elements, such as rough textures and bold shapes with delicate stones and techniques.
Monique Huynh
"Love Letters to my Childhood Self"
“Love Letters to my Childhood Self”, is a narrative-driven collection that honours and celebrates the power of the childhood imagination. Monique reflects on her own childhood and creates five surreal pieces of jewelry that are based on memories from her past. These reflections have been collected as short stories and have in turn been reinterpreted into fine art jewelry pieces.
Monique Huynh is the recipient of the Circle Craft Cooperative Scholarship for outstanding achievement.
Sebastian Penner
"Untitled"
A love letter to designs found in Gothic Architecture. Long before Sebastian understood what he was looking at, he was super into ornate details of 16th century cathedrals found in Italy, Spain, and Germany. Using modern hand engraving, Sebastian carved his favorite old-world elements into rich yellow gold to create a play of light that dances along with those who wear it.
Sebastian Penner is the recipient of the Regal Import Award for stone-setting.
Wei Wei Li
"How I Understand Jewellery"
A collection of works defining the artist’s perception of jewellery: accuracy, exactness, and precision. Three rings in her collection highlight the importance of precision in handcrafted jewellery, as only accurate measurement allows each part of the ring to fit properly, providing support and balance. In terms of glasses and the loupe, it’s critical to verify each section of the work’s measurements frequently during the time-consuming jewelry-making process. Wei Wei would like to express her admiration for every metalsmith through these two essential items.
Wei Wei Li is the recipient of the Lacy West Artistic Achievement Award
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