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Budding Artists see winning Jubilee Plate designs become reality

Tuesday, 19 June, 2012 - Modified on Tuesday, 19 June, 2012 at 10:16 am

 

 

Pictured (L-R) are: David McCoy (General Manager, Wedgwood Visitor Centre), Jill Bramham (Winner 18+ group), Jon French (Artist, Wedgwood Visitor Centre), Frances Duthie (Winner 4-10 group), Chloe Timmis (Winner 11-17 group), George Demetriou (Centre Manager, Guildhall Shopping Centre)

 

Three talented local artists have been presented with unique Wedgwood plates after winning a Jubilee Design a Plate competition organised by the Guildhall Shopping Centre and Wedgwood Visitor Centre.

 

Nine-year-old Frances Duthie was accompanied by her fellow winners, Chloe Timmis (14) and Jill Bramham (54), for the presentation at the Wedgwood Visitor Centre in Barlaston.

 

Their winning designs had fought off competition, from across North Staffordshire, to be made into ceramic reality. After the presentation they had a tour of the Wedgwood Factory and Museum.

 

Ceramic Artist Jon French chose the winners and transferred the designs onto plates.

 

He said: “Frances’ design was very colourful and included everything involved with a Jubilee party, Chloe’s took a fun, humourous approach featuring a corgi wearing a crown, and Jill’s entry was very regal including the red, white and blue in a formal but simple design.

 

“It was very difficult so I tried to make it as simple as I could and tried to look for designs that I knew people had really thought about.”

 

Guildhall Shopping Centre Marketing Manager Anne Graham was on the judging panel which decided the three winners after sifting through more than 800 entries.

 

She said: “We were absolutely amazed and thrilled to get so many entries but it did make it very difficult to choose our winners. 

 

“The finished plates looked wonderful on authentic Wedgwood china and we hope they will become cherished family heirlooms.  

 

“The unique one-off designs will not go into mass production but could become sought-after collectors' pieces in years to come as they are stamped with the official Wedgwood logo.” 

 

Wedgwood Visitor Centre General Manager David McCoy said: “It was great to see such a diverse range of entries to our design competition. 

 

“The finished plates really captured the individuality, colour and beauty of each of the winning pieces."

 

Richard Ralph, Senior Surveyor at DTZ, Managing Agents for the Guildhall said: "Working with the Wedgwood Visitor Centre has been an absolute pleasure and we hope that we will be able to have a further collaboration with them in the future.

 

“The competition really caught the imagination of our customers and I think this has been a successful demonstration of businesses working in partnership".

 

Media enquiries should be directed to Richard Swancott Associates on 01782 472035 or info@richardswancottassociates.co.uk