FROM THE ARCHIVES: Although Betty Woodman is best known for her mastery of clay, her artistic curiosity was never confined to a single medium—she ventured boldly into paper, bronze, glass, textile, and beyond. Her creative process was deeply informed by travel and she often returned home with ideas sparked by experiences working abroad, drawing inspiration from the techniques she encountered during residencies.

An example of these influences is Woodman’s pursuit of the radiant gold that appears throughout her work. In 2004, following a residency at CIRVA in Marseille, France—where she developed new projects using transparent glass and gold—Woodman returned to New York determined to find a vendor who could supply her with liquid gold. The resulting artworks shimmer with layered references, echoing the opulence of Roman frescoes, the delicacy of Kanazawa gold leaves, and the refined luminosity of Sèvres porcelain.

Explore the Foundation’s archives to trace Betty Woodman’s process—through her notes, samples, and correspondence—as she sought the materials that helped bring her golden visions to life.