This year’s winner, a runner up from last year, Sergey Jivetin is an MFA graduate of SUNY at New Paltz, NY, now living in Brooklyn. His use of manufactured watch hands as modular design elements yields jewelry that is visually complex and layered with meaning.The quality of the work submitted this year was, according to the judges, superb, making their task all the more challenging. Davira Taragin, Director of Exhibitions and Programs, Racine Art Museum; Don Firedlich, past president of the Society of North American Goldsmiths and a studioartist; along with AJF member Mia McEldowney, collector/independent curator worked their way through this year’s entries.

Sergey JivetinIn addition to the award of $2000 for Sergey, the panel also cited two other applicants in the finalist grouping: Anya Pinchuk (D.C.) and Natalya Pinchuk (IL). All have a fresh and personal voice, conceptual sophistication and technical skills.