Artist’s Statement of Process for Painting on Silk

Silk has been cultivated for well over 3500 years. The fabric is lustrous and supple. It possesses a sensuous and romantic quality even before any human intervention takes place. Ancient colorants and resist techniques were perfected in India and China to embellish the woven cloth. Wax resist techniques of India have been documented back to the second century A.D. Modern materials and processes have come to us more recently from Indonesia and later through Russia to America.

My primary inspiration comes from Nature. My paintings are all unique “One of a Kind” compositions created by applying transparent liquid French Dyes to White China Silk by hand, using a brush. The silk is stretched on a rigid frame and various resists and holding techniques are used to manage the “Flow” of dye across the silk fabric. Many years ago, I chose to abandon traditional resists in favor of a loose impressionist style achieved by overpainting and layering through the use warm air from a commercial hair dryer. This technique creates beautiful organic “Veining” and vibrant coloration. The finished painting is steamed to permanently set the colors and is re-stretched for framing and presentation. I have recently developed some new execution and presentation techniques that streamline and simplify the process while still retaining the beauty of the ancient medium and remaining faithful to the traditions that created this wonderous medium