A North East undergraduate has won joint first prize in an internationally renowned and prestigious architectural glass competition, designed to find the best student or recent graduate in the UK.
Anna Selway from the University of Sunderland followed this up by toasting her success in a contest to create the perfect gin and tonic glass, and will now see her work on the shelves in time for Christmas.
The first-year Glass and Ceramics undergraduate claimed the Brian Thomas Memorial Prize at the Stevens Glass Artist of the Year Awards, held in Glaziers Hall, London, last month, alongside fellow winner Michelle Mativi from the University of Wales.
Her brief was to design an archway in the School of Glass at the newly renovated Alex Campus at University of Wales Trinity St David, Swansea. Anna’s design was inspired by traditional Welsh tapestry patterns and is a celebration of craftsmanship, skills, and heritage.
Douglas Hogg, Chairman of the judging panel, said: “It is unusual for the judges to award a joint first prize. On this occasion we agreed that both Anna and Michelle deserved no less, and we congratulate them both, along with the other award-winners.”
The competition judges were all distinguished and experienced glass artists, including Douglas Hogg himself whose design was chosen by HM The Queen for the Diamond Jubilee Window at the Savoy Chapel in London.
The Stevens Competition has been running since 1972 and past award-winning commissions have included installations in hospices, schools and charities. As well as students it is open to graduates who have completed their training within the last five years
Anna Selway said: “Going to London was really fun, we went through everyone’s entries and it was amazing because it was very formal, but there was also the opportunity to mix with people that you wouldn’t normally get the chance to.
“I was over the moon when I found out I had won, because I completely invested myself and did my absolute best – I received tremendous support from the University of Sunderland, people bent over backwards to allow me to make the piece.”
After this success Anna then went on to be awarded a commission by Durham Distillery, a North East based craft distillery who produce traditionally made gin and vodka, who had approached Sunderland students based at the National Glass Centre (NGC).
They asked the undergraduates to re-imagine how gin should be enjoyed, and gave them an exciting brief to create the ultimate glass. After being impressed by the standard of the work Anna’s design was chosen as the winner by Managing Director Jon Chadwick and his team.
Jon Chadwick said: “The standard of the work was incredible, and I think with it you could see half a dozen really, really great designs which had a clear link with the brand, had clearly involved people that had actually thought about the brief, really intelligently, and had produced something where you could see it as a finished product.
“It’s a kind of logical thing for people who make gin, and also vodka, to be interested in glassware, and the idea of having the NGC and the University of Sunderland, it was just too neat a fit not to come and do it.”
Anna added: “It has been really good because this is something outside of what I can do by myself, so it has made me think about the market, researching bottles, seeing what might work out there on the shelves.
“The opportunity to engage with a business has been brilliant. It was good practice for speaking to people and being as professional as possible, to ensure you present yourself and your designs succinctly and clearly. To get their feedback was really useful and the whole process was really challenging.”
Jon Chadwick concluded: “We love the National Glass Centre; we think it’s one of the coolest places in the North East. It is just such an incredible place to hang out, and with the kind of design aesthetic here, and the design aesthetic we have in our business, there is a neat crossover and we would love to do more work with the University and the NGC over the years.”