The art of silk

Today I've decided to continue my writings, this time on the art of silk. I used to work as a diversional therapist in care homes and one of the sessions I ran was art, a wonderful way for my residents to express themselves. One of my colleagues invited me to a day of silk painting at a local studio, I had never tried it so went along and loved every minute. Once the day had finished I knew this was the medium for me. I loved the challenge of it, never being able to redeem mistakes easily and the vibrancy of the dyes was amazing!

I now paint on silk almost every day and get so excited from looking at blank silk! I have customers come into my studio shop and they are always keen to know how I create my artworks, with some happy to just sit and watch me paint while they chat away, some have found it so intriguing that they had to touch the artwork in progress, not always with favourable results on one occasion a lady stroked a piece that had only just been guttaed and made the picture look horrendous, so after that I now make sure everyone knows not to get too close!

How I create my art: begin with a sheet of Chinese Habotai silk, I prefer 8mm as it tends to allow the dyes to flow perfectly. I then wash it to remove excess starch, iron it and then start securing it to the back of my frame using masking tape which is unconventional for most silk artists tend to use pins but as I use my frame to display them I want it to look brand new rather than like it's been a hearty lunch for a gang of woodworm!

Once stretched out (just like cavas) I then begin using a fluid called gutta serti which acts as a barrier to create beautiful pictures, once this has completely set the painting begins, using a variety of techniques from blending colours together to using rock salts and thinning mediums as well as diluted alcohol for different effects. Once completed the detailing is added, from leaf veins to tree bark using super fine gutta lines and finally once happy with the overall artwork I then add my signature, a very proud moment and stand back to admire the results.

Another time I will talk about the framing process that I feel I have now mastered, I daren't have them done by anyone else as it's such a tricky thing to do correctly with no air bubbles and straight horizons as the silk has a mind of its own once off the frame!

For now signing off, thank you for reading!

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