David Yurman names winner of inaugural 2017 Young Artist Prize

By

Obi Anyanwu

Published
May 15, 2017

David Yurman on Friday announced Lila Reynolds as the winner of the inaugural David Yurman Young Artist Prize for 2017. The Otis College of Art and Design student will receive $20,000 in scholarship funds and will have her sculpture displayed in David Yurman boutiques in the fall.

 
The winner was chosen by a panel of judges comprised of David and Sybil Yurman, and jury members Paul Greenhalgh, Director and Professor of Art History of the Sainsbury Centre for the Visual Arts at the University of East Anglia, UK; artist Tara Donovan; and world renowned sculptor Hans Van de Bovenkamp.
 
In addition to Reynolds winning the inaugural award, the Otis College of Art and Design will receive a Master Class with David Yurman himself. Also, Aimilios Lo from The Cooper Union has been awarded runner-up and will receive $10,000 in scholarship funds.

"I'm incredibly honored to be recognized by a distinguished and dedicated artist such as David Yurman," said Lila Reynolds. "During my tenure at Otis College I have worked hard to develop my skills and craft. Winning this award has truly inspired me to further continue developing my techniques as an artist and designer."
 
The American jewelry brand launched the initiative to support young creatives in the arts and education. The theme of the competition was Pure Form, drawing inspiration from the David Yurman collection of the same name that was a personal collection for Yurman and recalled his origins as a sculptor studying under Ernesto Gonzalez, Jacques Lipschitz and Theodore Roszak.
 
The participating schools in the inaugural initiative include Purchase College (State University of New York); Rhode Island School of Design; Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design (University of Michigan); The Cooper Union; Otis College of Art and Design; Savannah College of Art and Design® and School of the Art Institute of Chicago.