Two of Oberlin’s senior art majors, Julia Vogl (pictured right) and Maggie Ollove (pictured left) have been named semi-finalists in the international Ugly Necklace Contest. A panel of judges selected just 10 entries from those submitted, and the public will weigh in from now until July 15 to decide who will win a $992.93 jewelry shopping spree.

Vogl’s entry, which she titled, “To Do List,” consisted of objects that cause her to stress and de-stress, including a tea strainer, Post-It note reminders to herself, a watch and Cheerios. She describes it as a “conglomeration of stuff” and “uncomfortably heavy.” Her poem, a to-do list itself, demonstrates the typical frazzled mindset of a college student: “Pass classes, Eat Food, Get sleep Sometime, Stay away from the booze, Submit ugly necklace, Graduate on time, Figure out future, Learn not to be stressed out.”

Ollove’s necklace, “Art Student,” is a combination of “links” and “knots” made from gloves, plastic bags, aluminum foil, rags and some artistic supplies dangling from a blue yarn. Her poem reflects the joys and frustrations of studying art: “Protect your skin, and lungs / Engage in the process / Deadlines, screw them, have fun!”

The judges reviewed how well each submitted necklace met and then violated a set of ten jewelry design principles: Overall Hideousness, Clever Use of Materials, The Clasp Assembly, Violation of Color Principles, Bad Balance or Arrangement, Bad Rhythm and Focus, Dis-Orientation, Parsimony, Wearability and the “Poem”— to be included with the necklace explaining in verse the artist’s intentions for its design and significance.

The contest’s sponsor, the popular bead website Land of Odds, explained the unusual hardships involved in creating something truly ugly: “The many jewelry designers from across America and around the Globe who entered our 5th Annual The Ugly Necklace Contest, found this contest especially challenging. After all, your brain is pre-wired to avoid and reject things which are ugly. Think of snakes and spiders. And even if you start your necklace with a bunch of ugly pieces, once you organize them into a circle, the very nature of an ordered round form makes it difficult to achieve Ugly. Yes, ‘Ugly’ is easier said than done.”