PAINTINGS ON SILK

These works are earth, sky and sea scapes, posing questions about the condition of our cosmos in relationship to human beings, over time. Time longer than one human generation. What is our collective and individual relationship to our largest surroundings? I am trying to put these ideas down on my silk.  

 

Of the process, I work mostly outside, starting with large pieces of white silk, stretched across wooden working frames. The music is wind, bird sounds, shuffling leaves of willow and oak nearby. I prepare the quietness of the atmosphere first. The simple tasks of sweeping, cleaning, mixing the  palette - all draw me into the inspiration.  

 

My brush draws out the color, water and color moving onto the pure white silk. Depth and richness develop as layers of inks are flowed onto the silk, between drying times. The work is intense and meaningful.

 

The painting is finished after several other steps - steaming to set the dyes, gently washing out resists and unfixed dye particles, ironing, finally stretching over thick a canvas frame.