I had the honour of designing and producing the trophies for the inaugural “Coasties” awards evening hosted by the West Coast Creative Society in Vancouver. The organisation champions the outstanding work coming out of advertising agencies, photography studios, and videography companies across Canada’s west coast. Their first awards evening was a huge success — a packed room and an inspiring showcase of the creative talent here in BC. I worked closely with the organisers to develop a sculptural trophy that reflected the spirit of the Pacific coast.
The final design drew inspiration from a beach pebble, its hole shaped by the quiet power of water over time. This became the guiding metaphor: a celebration of persistence, process and the kind of creativity that builds slowly and with care. Just like the journey of any artist or maker, these trophies are a reminder that real success is earned, not rushed.
After 3D-printing the initial model, I created plaster molds and cast 45 ceramic trophies in what turned out to be a very tight production timeline, overcoming plenty of technical hurdles along the way. Each is finished with my signature crackle glaze, an engraved metal plate on the back with the winner’s details, and gold, silver and bronze leaf inside the cavity. And of course being a brand for plants, each trophy doubles as a vase.
Seeing the finished pieces up on stage and the excitement of the winners receiving them was an incredibly special moment, definitely one of the most rewarding ways to bring a project to a close.
