A student whose program is based at CQUniversity Noosa Campus has his latest top marks set in stone - literally.

Peter Dehlsen from South Grafton in NSW has 'scooped the pool' at the recent 49th National Gemboree Lapidary Competition in South Australia, perfectly aligning with his postgraduate creative practice project theme of 'lapidary'.

Peter Dehlsen pictured in his workshop

Even though Peter is studying the Master of Creative Enterprise (Creative Practice) program based out of CQUniversity's Noosa Campus, he's enrolled as a distance education student to give him extra flexibility.

Professor Donna Lee Brien, who convenes the Creative Practice specialisation of both the Master of Creative Enterprise and Graduate Certificate in Creative Industries, said that this is a fantastic result for Peter as an artist.

"All our students pitch projects in any art form, and this is an example of the kind of creative work our programs can assist in developing. We encourage, and help, all our students to seek professional outcomes, whether it means being published or exhibited, or entering competitions," Professor Brien said.

The Gemboree is the largest gemstone festival in Australia and brings together a diverse range of people interested in lapidary and allied crafts hobbies. There are many displays of rocks, minerals, gemstones and jewellery by businesses, tailgaters, hobbyists and competitors.

"The lapidary competition is diverse and includes sections for faceting, cabochon cutting, carving, gem and mineral display, jewellery, beads and more," Peter says.

LINK for a larger image. Lighthouse, cameo style in Australian Zebra Stone

"Lapidaries from clubs around Australia compete against each other for medals and trophies in the various sections.  Most sections comprise four levels of skill being the junior, novice, intermediate and open levels.

"The Gemboree hosts the top level competition for lapidary enthusiasts and it also hosts the International Faceting Competition where teams of facetors from differing countries compete against each other for the honour of being the best facetors in the world."

Peter first entered the national Gemboree Level 4 competition in 2012 after successfully competing in Level 3 State Gemkhanas. In Gemboree 2012 he received several medals for works.

In the 2013 Gemboree, Peter entered four carvings in open level 'carving above hardness 5', 'cameo' and 'relief carving'. He received second and third place in open level, second place in cameo, and (by default as the only entrant), first in relief carving.

"The pieces I entered were all carved for the purpose of discovering techniques and trying ideas and were carved on what are difficult stones to work with due to their inclusions or other structures," Peter says.

More information at http://www.lapidaryartist.com/

LINK for a larger image. Treble Cleff in Guatamalan Jadeite 
LINk for a larger image. Mayan Chisell in Guatamalan Jadeite