Transformation 8: Contemporary Work in Small Metals

“Transformation 8: Contemporary Works in Small Metals” was the 2011 edition of the Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize series, which recognizes excellence in the field of contemporary craft. It featured the work of 33 internationally recognized and emerging artists, and highlighted outstanding examples of contemporary works in small metals and jewelry. As with the previous shows, this exhibition continued the theme of “Transformation,” an appropriate focus for an exhibition honoring Elizabeth Raphael, a woman who believed passionately in the transformative power of art to change lives.
The $5,000 Raphael Prize was awarded to Meghan Patrice Riley for her necklace “Interstitial.” The jurors also awarded a $1,000 second prize to Mari Ishikawa, a Japanese-born artist currently working in Germany, for her “Parallel World,” a deeply expressive brooch in silver and Japanese kozo paper. Honorable mentions were awarded to the seminal metals artist Bob Ebendorf and emerging artist Daniel DiCaprio.