VCC's not-so-hidden gems

You might say these ladies are VCC's not-so-hidden gems.

Dominique Bréchault, a faculty member in VCC's full-time jewellery art and design program, won a 2013 Mayors Arts Award in the craft and design category.

Bréchault also teaches part-time jewellery making classes for VCC Continuing Studies and chose a VCC graduate to receive the emerging artist award in the same category.

Dominique Bréchault
Honouree

Dominique Bréchault is an artist and educator who has lived in Vancouver for over 30 years. Born and raised in France, she moved to Canada after completing her university studies. She holds a master’s degree in art history from the University of Poitiers, and is a graduate of both the Emily Carr College of Art and Design and the Jewellery Art and Design Program at Vancouver Community College (VCC).

She has maintained a studio as a goldsmith since 1992, and has participated in many exhibitions nationally and internationally.
"Journeys and transformation, and the idea of 'home,' are themes close to my heart and ones that I have been exploring on and off for many years," says Bréchault. She taught Continuing Education jewelry classes with the Vancouver School Board for 20 years and is currently an instructor at VCC.

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Urszula
Emerging artist

Urszula of ZULA Jewelry + Design was born in Warsaw, Poland and lived in Germany before her family moved to Canada when she was five. Urszula has always used her hands to create adornment. While pursuing a career in acting, she had a small business as a bead and wire jeweller.

She studied silversmithing and completed a diploma in Jewelry Art and Design from Vancouver Community College. She was awarded the 2009 Page and Wilson Award for Overall Achievement for “CSI Verona,” a collection of evidence found at the scene of Romeo and Juliet’s death, and the 2010 Habson’s Award for Best Display for her “Dorsal Carapace.”
As a jeweller, she works with objects from nature that she finds in the forest, beach, and desert. In 2011, she was asked to exhibit at the Port Moody Arts Centre with her collection BONE.

Bios courtesy of the City of Vancouver