Scottish jeweller Susan Cross and Adam Paxon are the joint winners of the £30,000 Jerwood Applied Arts Prize 2007: Jewellery which was presented in London last night.

The prestigious UK prize celebrates innovation, commitment and excellence within the applied arts and is run by the Crafts Council and Jerwood Charitable Foundation

The judges felt that Susan Cross and Adam Paxon were worthy joint prize winners, both representing different aspects of contemporary jewellery today. Although using divergent techniques and materials – Adam works mainly in acrylic and Susan in oxidised silver – it was considered that there was a shared connection in the way each uses structure and layering in their work. Both artists’ work was considered to be complex in construction, exquisitely made and showing superb craftsmanship. They also equally responded to the challenge of the prize and produced significant new work for the exhibition. 

The Jerwood Applied Arts prize runs over a six-year cycle, with each year representing a different medium within the applied arts field: jewellery, textiles, ceramics, glass, furniture and metal.

Rosy Greenlees, director, Crafts Council said, “I am delighted that Susan Cross and Adam Paxon have won the prize. Their work demonstrates a vitality and skill which shows how exciting contemporary jewellery can be.”

The other shortlisted artists were Nora Fok, Grainne Morton, Yoko Izawa and Mah Rana.

The exhibition of work by the shortlisted artists runs at the Jerwood Space until 22 July and then tours visiting the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh from 12 October to 2 March 2008.

Find out more about Susan Cross and also Adam Paxon, who worked in Scotland for a number of years before moving to England in 2006.