Each month Victoria showcases the artwork of a student from her workshops, videos, and online classes.
2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013
November
Majestic Blue Pendant by Teena Covert
I took a workshop on repousse a few years ago, but was unable to accomplish the look I wanted. After watching Victoria’s videos, I was thrilled to be able to make the peaks I was looking for. What a great teacher and an inspiration to all metal artists. Thank you!
Sterling silver, lab grown spinal
14mm x 76mm x 35mm
2017
tcovert7@gmail.com
October
Summer 2017 Student Work
What an amazing summer it has been! In between months of working on two copper commissions for a custom built super yacht (yes, really!) I taught Russian filigree workshops on opposite sides of the planet.
As I say goodbye to a wild summer, I would like to highlight some great moments with my hosts and students. After all, meeting and connecting with people and watching their “light bulbs” go on are the reasons why I continue to teach.
Images featured are student posts via Instargram.
Image 1 by Dana Cassara @DanacaDesign
Image 2 by Jennifer Stenhouse @JenniferStenhouse
Images 3-5 by Stuart Griffins @JewelleryMakingCornwall
September
Shark Eye Moon by Susan Hargreaves
I love experimenting with a variety of metal forming techniques and finding different ways to express my creativity and further develop my art. Thank you, Victoria, for sharing your knowledge and talent and giving me new inspirations.
Eastern repoussé pendant in sterling silver embellished with a single lapis cabochon.
1.5″ long (2″ total length including bail), 1.25″ wide. 18″ Roman chain in fine silver.
2016, Susan Hargreaves
August
Endless Wave by Nora Julia McMullen
I had been making filigree for three years before having an opportunity to work with Victoria. I was surprised how much more I learned! Watching her techniques and having her humor to keep the mood light was an invaluable experience.
This piece expresses my love of the ocean through filigree and torch-fired enamel. When I originally started out, the pendant was meant to be solid except for the center filigree section, but I kept sawing out segments and found that I loved the balance of positive and negative space even more.
The fusing abilities of Argentium make it ideal for filigree, but it has a very steep learning curve. There were plenty of over-fused pieces that fell by the wayside to get me to the pendant you see here. Finding the exact balance of time and heat is essential.
Fused Argentium silver with torch-fired enamel
1.5″ wide by 2.75″ tall, with an 18″ silver chain.
2016, Nora Julia
Instagram: @nora.julia
June
July
Untitled Ring by Jesse Watson
I had done several pieces after taking Victoria’s class but all of them flat. But as I continued to work on various pieces and concepts I realized that a couple of them would be really cool incorporated with some additional smithing techniques. So I started playing around with some concepts and this ring is the result of that playing. Although it is only a concept piece, I think that it came out well and I will definitely be expanding on some of the ideas it generated in future work. As for the filigree itself, It was placed into the design after it was already formed into a ring. As you can imagine that led to some challenging evenings in the studio. There is something about filigree that really struck a chord with me – could be the flow, the lines, the intricacy, I don’t really know. All I do know is that it will be something that I will be regularly incorporating into my art.
Sterling silver, fine silver, CZ, Swiss Blue Topaz
1x6mm CZ center stone; 2x4mm Swiss Blue Topaz Accent Stones
2016, Jesse Watson
www.instagram.com/noctisjewelry/
jesse_r_watson@hotmail.com
June
The Transcended Pebble by Dina K Steele
My first exposure to filigree came when my grandmother handed down an antique filigree pin that had belonged to my great-grandmother. I fell in love and was heartbroken when I learned that filigree was a lost art in the U.S. With help I was able to find Victoria Lansford and begin learning this beautiful lost art. I particularly love combining the splendor of filigree with the elegance of pearls. Pearls are the amazing product of the oyster’s ability to take an irritant and transform it into something beautiful. Hence the name of this piece, “The Trancended Pebble” and my company slogan, “May Life Give You Pearls!”
South Sea Golden Pearl, 18k Gold Wire, Fine Silver Filigree Wire
25mm x 12 mm x 12 mm
2016, Dina K Steele
May
Reaching for the Sun by Andrea Terry
I had the great pleasure of taking Victoria’s class in the fall of 2016 at Creative Side Jewelry Academy in Austin, TX. Victoria has a very warm personality and her class was jam packed full of useful information; seeing what her students have made after just a few days is testament to that. My inspiration is from the natural world, and I have really enjoyed mixing repoussé with filigree. They really compliment each other well. I look forward to improving my technique and challenging myself in the future.
Russian filigree and repoussé ring
Sterling silver, fine silver, 14k gold
1 1/2″ x 3″
2016, Andrea Terry
April
The Brain by Karen Reule
I was lucky enough to take Victoria’s three day Russian Filigree Workshop at The Ranch Center for Arts and Crafts in Snohomish, WA in 2015. Victoria was a great inspiration during the class and encouraged each of us to find our niche. Since her class, I have been given the opportunity to make some wonderful custom pieces and I have definitely learned something new on each one that I have made. The Brain was a custom piece that was created as a Christmas present for someone special that works with stroke patients.
16 gauge sterling silver, 26 gauge fine silver
1 1/2″ x 1 7/8″
2015, Karen Reule
Orange Bead Art
March
Going with the Flow by DeAngeLea Snyder
I created Going with the Flow during Victoria’s 2016 All Chained Up workshop held at Creative Side Jewelry Academy, in Austin, Texas. The clasp is 1” x 1.5” fused sterling silver with a 7mm green chrysoprase on Victoria’s vertebrate chain in 16ga fine silver. I learned a great deal while attending this workshop and found the experience invaluable. This has become my favorite bracelet and have used it as my reference model for several more projects.
Sterling silver, green chrysoprase, 16ga fine silver
1″ x 1.5″ clasp, 7mm green chrysoprase
2016, DeAngaLea Snyder
February
Tears of Light by Jose G. Griego
I learned to make filigree jewelry through the excellent DVD created by Victoria Lansford. I believe this work is a skill I learned in a previous lifetime as it came very easily to me. I enjoy using gem stones in collaboration with silver filigree. The design element is especially interesting as I use my intuition and semi-dream states to create the designs. I look forward someday to meet Victoria and learn more through her knowledge and experience.
Turquoise and silver filigree
2.5″ x 1″
2016, Jose G Griego
January 2017
Vertebrate Link with Turquoise Oval Cabochon by GeorgeAnn Valentine
Curiosity is the driving force behind my jewelry education choices. After owning a jewelry store representing artisan jewelry, the curiosity became overwhelming.
The desire to answer the question, “how do they do that?” drove me to actually try to do it myself. That combination of curiosity and the “how to” began my silversmithing journey 3 years ago.
Victoria offers her All Chained Up class where students learn to weave fine silver into her vertebrate chain pattern with tools already on your bench. Additionally, Victoria generously and, with humor, steps you through the process while sharing techniques for creating clasps that are functional and complete your design.
16 gauge fine silver wire, 18 gauge sterling wire for clasp, oval turquoise cabochon, 24 guge sterling sheet
19.7mm x 34.8mm (7″ long chain)
2016, GeorgeAnn Valentine