Entering work for Guild competitions and exhibitions
This page is intended to give some background information about our competitions and exhibitions and to encourage members new and old to take part and to show us all what they enjoy doing.
The Guild has three competitions each year open only to members of the London Guild. They are the Lore Youngmark Memorial Competition, the Gwen Shaw Competition and the Kennedy Cup for Spinning. A member may enter one or more pieces of work for each competition subject to fulfilling the criteria set for that particular competition that year, but a single piece can only be entered for one competition. If the item simultaneously fulfils the entry criteria for more than one competition, the member must choose which competition to enter. Please note: This differs from the practice in past years where a single piece could be entered for more than one competition.
Any piece of work can be submitted for selection to a National Exhibition as well as to any of the London Guild competitions. The same piece of work should not be entered for the same competition or exhibition year after year.
The competitions are judged on the basis of members’ votes. Each member can vote for the three items they like best in each category, the votes are counted during the speaker’s commentary and the winners are announced at the end.
The competitions are being held in 2009 on 12 December, and more details of this year’s specific competitions are set out below.
The Kennedy Cup for Spinning
Background
The Kennedy Cup for Spinning was set up in 1992 to honour Aileen Kennedy and her late husband. Aileen is a current Vice-President of the London Guild and was Guild Secretary for many years.
The Competition: One plus One or More Than One
The brief this year is to produce a finished item using two or more types of handspun yarn. The yarns may be of the same or different fibre and colour but spun differently, to suit the different areas of the item. A small skein of each is to accompany it, with an explanation of the reasoning behind each and the use to which each is put in the finished item.
Guidelines
Any kind of technical difference in the type of yarn is acceptable, for example, singles vs plyed, heavy vs light in weight, woollen vs worsted, slubby vs smooth or any other difference apart from simply the colour.
Lore Youngmark Prize: One plus One or More Than One
Background
This competition has been held every year since 1987 to honour a member who, amongst other achievements, co-authored the book Foundations of Weaving and was an inspirational teacher. The competition was originally open only to weavers weaving floor rugs but in recent years the competition brief has been broadened to include a wider range of weaving techniques.
The Competition: One plus One or More Than One
The brief this year is to produce a finished item or more than one item showing two faces of the same woven fabric, which should employ a minimum of two different weights of yarn, used however you wish, to create a double-sided cloth. Please include a drawdown with samples of the yarn attached, to show how the variation is achieved. You may include an explanation of your design process if you wish.
Guidelines
Weaving gives the opportunity to create subtly or dramatically different effects on either side. The differences can be made with a large range of techniques on anything from three to very many shafts. Examples are anything from 2:1 and 1:2 twill, summer and winter, double cloth and extend widely from there. For inspiration you could look at the chapter in 'Foundations of Weaving' on Double Weaves (p. 149), this includes notes on double-faced fabrics, double cloth, double repp and more.
The Gwen Shaw Competition: One plus One or More Than One
Background
Gwen Shaw was a founding member of the London Guild and a force behind its success. When she died in 1959 a subscription list was opened to purchase something that would perpetuate her memory. This is now the Gwen Shaw Cup, which is awarded to a London Guild member at the annual competition. The emphasis is on designing and evidence of this is an essential part of the competition. All entries must be accompanied by evidence of the design process.
The Competition: One plus One or More Than One
The brief this year is to produce a finished item using more than one skill. It must utilise a minimum of one of our three disciplines (weaving, spinning or dyeing) as a significant component and should use at least one other skill, whether or not connected to the fibre arts.
Guidelines
The additional skill or skills could be anything from felting through wood or metal work, ceramics, twining, split ply braiding, printing, etc. etc. The evidence of your design process can be demonstrated by drawings, photographs, words, wraps, samples etc. Just show that process in whatever way suits you - it doesn't have to be design boards if that is not the way you work.
Beginner’s Prize
Don’t forget that if you are new to a craft and have put an entry into one of the above competitions, you can be considered for the Beginner’s Prize, inaugurated by Melanie Venes two years ago. This could be called the don’t-hide-your-light-under-a-bushel prize and is intended to encourage those who consider themselves novices in spinning, weaving or dyeing to have a go. Remember, everyone was a novice once and it’s by meeting challenges and embarking on projects that we refine and develop our skills.