The International Fashion Colorworks Beading Contest 2011 is over and we are glad to introduce the Third Place Winners. It was the very first such a great success in contests or all of them, and we are happy for them. From left to right: Svetlana Dubinsky (Israel), Ulyana Moldovyan (Russia), Aleksey Soloviev (Ukraine).

1. Have you planned to participate in Fashion Colorworks 2011 in advance or was your decision spontaneous?

Svetlana:
I participated in last year's competition, and when I didn't finish my 2010 entries yet, I decided to enter in 2011 contest.

Ulyana:
I really liked Fashion Colorworks in 2010. For various reasons I did not take part in it, but hoped to be able to participate in 2011.

Aleksey:
The decision was spontaneous, I decided to take part three weeks before the start of the competition.

2. How sudden did color combinations seem to you?

Svetlana:
Honestly, when I first saw the triads, I was shocked and decided to abandon my dreams. Those combinations were "not mine", I have almost never used some of the colors of them in my works - for example, orange and yellow. I thought that I should not try to do something worthy using them, nothing will come of this venture! But every day with the persistence of masochistic, I have opened the page with color triads intently staring at them, and after a while they have not seemed so terrible to me! In the end I decided, why not try it, especially since the contest raged around interesting debates and discussions, and I still wanted to take part in this holiday!

Ulyana:
I cannot say that they were unexpected and rather interesting and different.

Aleksey:
Triads have turned out very interesting but not unexpected.

3. What influenced on your decision when you selected color combinations for the entries?

Svetlana:
Since the preparation time was enough, I decided to make three works in the category of small beads covering all three color combinations, and began to collect and order the material for all three. Although purple-blue-green palette seemed the most attractive to me, it so happened that in the end I didn't have time to finish my beadwork in these colors.

Ulyana:
Availability of materials and my personal color preferences.

Aleksey:
I love bright colors, that was my main criteria when choosing a triad.

4. What associations with chosen colors for the winning piece did you have?

Svetlana:
The colors chosen by me for jewelry I have associated with hot summer time and carefree travels.

Ulyana:
The second triad is like foggy landscape to me, silk fabric with an elegant ornament, lavender field in morning dew. The third triad looks like paradise by the sea and a sunny day in the desert.

Aleksey:
The sky, a butterfly and a cheetah.

5. Why did you choose the category you submitted your beadwork in?

Svetlana:
I chose this category because that is what I best can do. I would like to try to make something for the other categories, but this is for the future.

Ulyana:
I had plans for all three categories, but I didn't not have enough time to create a piece for the third category.

Aleksey:
At that time it was the only category in which I felt confident.

6. What inspired you to make your winning beadwork?

Svetlana:
I knew that the contest involved a lot of very strong masters, with whom I would be hard to compete, and therefore need some kind of "bomb" idea. I decided to bet on unusual materials and started surfing Internet for something unusual in the color combinations that I needed. But it did not come across in my eyes, and I decided to search for artists making lampworks. I drew three sketches (which has changed in the process!), on the advice of Zoya and thanks to the persistence of my husband I printed out triad colors on heavy paper, and began searching for artists. This was not so easy task! Good beadworkers, which would help implement my ideas, did not want to wind up with such small things, and those who would not mind to help me, could not, in my opinion, to do what I planned. In the end I found just two incredible mistresses: Natasha Zhitomyrsky from Jerusalem, which made beads for Holiday In The Tropics Necklace, and Nadine Sandler from Herzliya, who made beads for Souvenir Of Provence Necklace.

Ulyana:
I have no shortage of ideas, the number of them is usually much more than I'm able to implement. I have drawn a few sketches of beadworks for each color triad. The choice was difficult, and was determined by the presence of the necessary materials, and yet my little skills.

Aleksey:
I was inspired by my own latest beadwork - men's necktie "Tiger", and I decided to make a women's tie for the contest. The design itself has been dictated by the color triad.

7. Did you have trouble choosing techniques for work and materials?

Svetlana:
I used techniques that are already well known to me, but in the course of my ideas I had to develop new ones. For example, I've never made beaded beads in peyote stitch. Besides, I needed to find the way to make beaded beads with the same ornaments as on lampwork beads for the necklace "Holiday In The Tropics", so I had to experiment a bit, but, in my opinion, the result was worth it! About the materials I have already been partially written above, since the materials I have been inextricably linked with the idea. The rest - beads, crystal elements and a thread I ordered all the right colors in my online stores, there were no difficulties. I like using beads of many shades and different coating, I counted 19 types of beads in my winner. And given the fact that a monitor does not always display the correct colors, I purchased a lot of beads!

Ulyana:
The stock of materials in available stores is not very wide, I would like more. I used usual techniques, I only had to work hard on beading around embroidered elements in my Dream Of Fisherwoman Set.

Aleksey:
My favorite technique is peyote stitch, so I used it. I had a very large selection of beads, crystal and accessories, so didn't experience any problems with materials.

8. Do you use the recommendations of your loved ones when creating beadworks?

Svetlana:
I always show my husband and my daughter "pieces" of work and ask for advice, how well I combined colors and how harmoniously a detail looks with another. When a long time doing something, the eyes cannot notice some intricate details and opinion of an inexperienced person can be very helpful. My family always seriously helps me with joy.

Ulyana:
Of course! My most important and strongest critics are my husband and my daughter.

Aleksey:
Yes. I always seek advice and evaluation for my every beadwork.

9. Did you depart from your original design or not? Why?

Svetlana:
My idea with lampwork beads was very successful, but the original sketches of my entries are little left. I always work like that: I first draw rough sketches to determine the materials to start, and then along the way I get new ideas, something from the original sketch fails to carry out technically so gradually changing concept sometimes beyond recognition!

Ulyana:
There have newer been that I was able to implement the original plan for 100%! In the process, beads and stones dictate their own terms. Some elements of the sketch become redundant, while others ask for being included to work.

Aleksey:
All along the way of my work I've made a few small changes in design. Overall, the work turned out as planned.

10. How difficult or easy was for you the realization of your design?

Svetlana:
When I saw the finished lampwork beads, I was simply overwhelmed the inspiration and the work went like clockwork! It only remained to pick up right color beads and to experiment with the beaded beads.

Ulyana:
It was easy to follow my plan, but it was pretty difficult to meet the high standards of quality in technical terms.

Aleksey:
Everything was very easy as a breeze.

11. What did you feel when you have completed and sent the application

Svetlana:
I felt a huge relief! All the more, I even had to take the day-off the day before the closing date to finish my another necklace, then my husband and I photographed entries until midnight and sent the application. Of course, it was a little sad at the same time that I finished an interesting project and needed to take up a lot of small things that have long waited for me.

Ulyana:
The mood was on the rise! I did it! And I felt a huge thanks and a sense of warmth for the letter sent by Zoya Gutina in response to my application!

Aleksey:
Joy and relief that I was in time.

12. Are you ambitious or not? What is the result of your work you expected?

Svetlana:
Yes, I think I am ambitious, although in everyday life it does not appear. But when I decide to participate in the contest, I'm all out and really want to win.

Ulyana:
I set the goal - to reach the final.

Aleksey:
Perhaps I am ambitious. I wanted to win the third place, but after the contest began I was in doubt of my success.

13. Have you tracked the progress of the competition or not? Have you changed your expectations or not?

Svetlana:
I kept watching the contest, it seems I even left the first comment in the discussion thread that Zoya opened on this occasion. While I did work, I was hoping that my entries would be my very best! After I sent them, I've counted the days until the moment when the finalists would be announced and each day watched icons of all coming entries, and gradually lost hope of victory, so interesting to me the other beadworks seemed.

Ulyana:
Almost every day I checked out the new contest entries and compared them with mine. I was very happy when I learned that both of my works made the final!

Aleksey:
Of course I did. So far, I worried and was doubtful in my success more and more.

14. Would you be upset if your beadwork didn't appear among the winners of the contest?

Svetlana:
Yes, I would be upset! I thought that I would then summed up not only myself but my loved ones who helped me and my friends who worried about me and gave names for my necklaces, and, finally, lampwork beads artists who made such beautiful beads for me!

Ulyana:
Would be upset if no my works were juried into the final.

Aleksey:
This was my first contest and only my fourth beadwork, I would not be upset - this is exactly.

15. What are some interesting ideas you have seen in other contest works?

Svetlana:
Many ideas, and now I cannot remember, they are deposited somewhere "on the shelf" in the head and must come up at the right moment!

Ulyana:
It was a lot of beautiful beadworks and interesting ideas. I'm most impressed by a boat in Captain Arctic Necklace by Ornan Volokh, and by an interesting idea and materials in the necklace "Undine Dream" by Liudmyla Heggland.

Aleksey:
I liked two works best of all: the necklace "Brazilian Harlequin" by Julia Turova and Bouquet Night Lamp by Marina Nosova.

16. What conclusions have you done for yourself in the contest?

Svetlana:
The conclusions I did after participating after last year's contest. And this time, I concluded that my earlier findings were correct!

Ulyana:
Work, work and work again.

Aleksey:
Learn, learn and learn.

17. Are you happy with the outcome of the contest or not? Why?

Svetlana:
Yes, I am very pleased with the results of the competition. What could be better than to get the prize in the color contest for the best colors among nearly 150 works? Oh, and the third place in the category, it's even more than what I expected!

Ulyana:
Overall I was pleased with the outcome of the contest. It is a pity that not all of my favorite beadworks took prizes.

Aleksey:
Of course, I'm satisfied especially because I hit the top three winners.

18. What do you think is particularly successful in the contest?

Svetlana:
I really like the idea of Fashion Colorworks, it gives a chance to overcome stereotypes and look at the new colors that surround us and unusual color combinations. And, of course, the atmosphere that surrounds the contest: its openness and at the same time intrigue, goodwill and support from the organizers. I am satisfied that the contest entries are juried by the photos and you do not need to send beadworks because I often lay in wait for surprises when sending and receiving back my works. I like the competition is free and at the same time the winners get good prizes.

Ulyana:
Binding to the contest color combinations forces to seek new solutions and helps see some things from a different angle, and unusual works are being created. I also like a wise and fair entry evaluation system.

Aleksey:
I liked the judging, I think this is the best one.

19. What are the disadvantages of our contest you could mention?

Svetlana:
Even I cannot remember anything.

Ulyana:
Could think of no shortage!

Aleksey:
Nothing of a kind.

20. What could we do to Fashion Colorworks became even more interesting?

Svetlana:
Well, I do not know, maybe somehow try to advertise more to attract even more participants. Maybe you can give advertising in bead magazines. Though I understand that it is easier to advise than to do - this is probably going to cost a lot of money and then the contest won't be free for participants.

Ulyana:
If the prize fund allows, to make more nominations. For example, something like "The best idea"; I would also like to use a tenth color from the Panton's palette that is not caught in the triad.

Aleksey:
So far no answer.

21. Are you going to take part in our contest next year?

Svetlana:
I will try though participating in such special contests is very time consuming and expensive.

Ulyana:
I want to participate again very much.

Aleksey:
Yes, I am.

22. What three words could you describe Fashion Colorworks?

Svetlana:
Inspiration. Benevolence. Feast.

Ulyana:
Joy. Creativity. Craftsmanship.

Aleksey:
Charm. Glitter. Talents.

23. What do you wish the current and future participants of our contest?

Svetlana:
To win in the you'll need good ideas and a serious selection of colors and materials. Spare no time for experiments, thrash out the details - and you will succeed!

Ulyana:
I wish to all participants inspiration, joyful attitude and expectation of a miracle! I wish newcomers to be more daring and not be afraid to participate and to experiment!

Aleksey:
Have lots of nspiration, the beautiful mountains of beads and healthy handles!

Thank you!
We wish you best of luck!

Fashion Colorworks 2011 - Winners
 
Beadwork by Svetlana Dubinsky
 
Beadwork by Ulyana Moldovyan
 
Beadwork by Aleksey Soloviev