Student raises glass to success after winning national accolade
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A Portsoy student has fended off competition from professional artists to win a prestigious national award.
Scott Smith (21) was presented with the accolade in The Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council Awards, which is regarded as the Oscars of the industry.
The third year Glasgow School of Art student won the gold medal in the 2D Design Silversmithing Champagne Gosset Award.
The triumph has provided him with the opportunity to visit the Gosset Champagne headquarters in France, the oldest wine house in the Champagne region.
The coastal landscape of his home town has proved to be the inspiration for the silversmithing and jewellery design student's work.
He told the Banffshire Journal: "I like to use the features of the coastal landscape in my work.
"To win this award is fantastic recognition from the industry.
"As part of our study brief we are instructed to enter an external competition.
"The awards are entered by professional artists and there are about 600 entrants over the 20 categories, so the competition is tough.
"It was great to win the accolade and celebrate with my tutors, who had also entered the awards. It was also a good opportunity to show them what I can do."
His entry for the award had the brief of reinventing the Champagne glass using silversmithing and glass.
His design was inspired by the exposed rock faces of the coast against the waves that form them.
It featured a droplet shaped glass element in a sterling silver frame which resembled a rock structure.
Scott travelled to London with his mum Shona for the ceremony which was held in Goldsmiths’ Hall.
The awards reward excellence in technical skills and creative design in precious metals and related materials. The Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council, which operates the competition, actively encourages established craft people and designers in the industry, as well as apprentices and students, to enter their work.
Scott is a former pupil of Portsoy Primary School and Banff Academy. He studied at the City of Glasgow College before moving on to The Glasgow School of Art.
As part of his prize he will now visit Gosset's base in France to see the workings of the historic company.
Scott has been encouraged to see silversmithing resurrected in Banff with the opening of The Smiddy by Glasgow company Vanilla Ink.
He added: "It is exciting to see The Smiddy open in Banff and promoting silversmithing.
"It has always been an interest of mine but the new centre opened after I had left school. However, I have been able to visit it when I am back home and Vanilla Ink's studios in Glasgow.
"It would be great to be involved with The Smiddy in the future."
After his studies Scott is aiming to be a self-employed silversmith and is looking to stay involved with the drinks industry.
"I would like to practice silversmithing in the gin or whisky industries.
"It would also be great to do artist residencies in different places if the opportunities come up."
