I continued my explorations of combining techniques in unexpected ways through the use of mokume gane and Eastern repoussé bound artist books of my calligraphic and collage work. My filigree increased in yet more dimension as I pushed those pesky limits of physics. I had given myself one big edge: producing and selling my Russian Filigree Powdered Solder on an industrial scale, which gave me more time for filling filigree frames with the tiny wires instead of traditionally hand-filing powdered solder to secure them in place.

I vividly recall creating each of these pieces, yet I cannot remember what magic potion I used to bend time to my will in order to complete them (and many other pieces during these years). All of them took months, and many, such as the books, each took over a year. I didn’t begin any of these pieces, however, before late 2009. This was also a time when I was the primary earner in our household of two adults, one child-to-teenager, and one Sheltie (who was, of course, the one in charge of us all). The running joke was that I never left the studio except to go to the airport. Sometimes I was certain that I passed myself coming and going through the terminals at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport because I averaged traveling and teaching 13 workshops each year in addition to attending conferences.

Taking in yet another massive blow to the rights of women recently, I remember the early 20-teens with a mix of pride and anger – pride in my work, and anger at the glass ceiling perpetuated even in a field dominated by women. This was an exceptionally stressful period as I supported my family while my husband slowly built up clients for his own business. In Western culture, no one expects an artist to have the steady income while a lawyer rides the freelancer’s wave of extreme uncertainty. The incorrect assumptions and disparaging comments by others were made even worse by our culture’s gender bias not of taking women artists as seriously as our male counterparts. My husband is still quick to correct anyone who wrongly assumes I’ve always had the “airy-fairy” job, highlighting not only my efforts then and during my single-mom days before, but also my entrepreneurial skills and spirit that have brought both of us success.

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Radiant Echoes: The Metal Mastery of Victoria Lansford showcases the artist’s journey through over three decades of ground-breaking applications of historical metalsmithing techniques. This retrospective publication comprehensively not only explores Lansford’s endless ability with complex metalsmithing techniques including filigree, Eastern repoussé, and granulation, but also speaks to how her skill and vision marry in the creation of objects that filters tradition through a contemporary lens. Simultaneously an artist, alchemist, and shaman, Lansford brings together the familiar with the unexpected through creative work that rethinks the millennia-old practice of turning raw materials into precious objects. 

The book features over 150 images of art jewelry, art objects, and large-scale metalwork drawn from across Lansford’s career as well as a comprehensive glossary of her techniques used, offering a unique opportunity for readers to explore the evolution of Lansford’s creativity and craftsmanship. Radiant Echoes will make a fantastic addition to the library of anyone who loves jewelry, sculpture, metalsmithing, or simply contemplating beautiful objects.

Radiant Echoes includes new essays by curators, scholars, and artists including Kate Bonansinga, Cynthia Eid, Rauni Higson, Elyse Zorn Karlin, Victoria Lansford, and Jane Milosch, with consulting editor Emily Zilber.

Full color, casebound, 186+ pages

ISBN 978-0-9821833-6-6

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