SILKWORM - Silk Painters 2015-Final-sm… · SILKWORM The Magazine of Silk Painters International. Volume 22, Issue 1, Spring 2015. D. C. and Maryland Chapter News. The Magic of Layers

SILKWORMThe Magazine of Silk Painters International

Volume 22, Issue 1, Spring 2015

D. C. and Maryland Chapter News

The Magic of Layers

Great Beginnings with Asher Katz

In This Issue:

2 Silkworm - Volume 22, Issue 1

Do you remember the first time you held a brush of dye next to silk? Did you realize, that the brilliant stroke you created, quite by accident, sealed your fate? You would, from that moment on, love the Art of Silk? Having

been bitten by that silkworm, you may have bought “silk art” bibles authored by such pioneers as Tuckman and Janas, Moyer, and Kennedy. At your leisure, you poured over the photos in these books and found yourself still wanting more. You researched options and found a way to take a workshop or two.

You probably arrived at that first workshop timidly carrying your supplies. You realized that the simple “newness” of your items marked you a novice. The next ex-ceptional thing you discovered was that silk artists, by nature, are a kind and sharing group. They tend to lovingly welcome silk artists as one of their own. They were quick to share and eager to bring you into the fold.

One of the most unique qualities of our silk family is our acceptance of the many different paths upon which we travel. Some of us thrive on creating a vision so like the original, that it is mistaken for that exact subject. Others define their art by creat-ing the colors of the raw emotions that accompany a particular subject rather than a visual representation of the subject itself.

Some of us artistically exist only to push the envelope of our expression of silk art in the most unorthodox of ways. We have been known to take forgiving silk and tear, burn, wax, bind, embellish, weave, knit and sew it into our interpretation of silk art. Others combine their vision and emotion to transpire their silk into costume art and fashion.

No matter where your journey has carried you, whether you’ve traveled many miles or just a few we are honored that Silk Painters International has become part of your map. Now I would like you to consider a path less traveled on your silk art journey.

Exercise your mind and go outside your comfort zone. One of my favorite Yoga teachers was fond of saying, “Stretch just past that sweet level of discomfort and breathe.” Learning is intensified when we are somewhat uncomfortable and chal-lenged beyond our skill level. This type of exercise can be not only invigorating but energizing. So now expand your flexibility by taking a giant step outside your box.

Take a community class in jewelry making, pottery or fly-fishing. Learn the anato-my of a flower, take up a musical instrument or learn how to really make risotto. Find a poem and translate it to silk art. Take your favorite music and discover its color on silk.

Remember it’s just as important to exercise our minds as it is to walk 30 minutes a day, so take your artistic self on an uncharted hike and find out just how flexible you can be. Where this takes you, only time will tell, and we are all grateful that you’ll be bringing SPIN along for the ride.

Kaki Steward, President

Kaki

3Silkworm - Volume 22, Issue 1

FeaturesThe Creative Journey with Brecia Kralovic-Logan - 4

Great Beginnings with Asher Katzby Ashley Nichols - 5

The Magic of Layers by Pamela Glose - 10

DepartmentsMessage from the President - 2

From the Editor’s Desk - 3

Announcements - 2-3

Chapter News:Washington D.C. - Maryland Chapter - 18

In This Issue:

Announcements

Please send Letters to the Editor. Stay in touch. We want you to be involved. If you have comments, complaints or suggestions, let us know. Send cor-respondence or photos to [email protected] you have photographs of your art that you would like to have showcased in the Silkworm, send photos with your name and the name of the piece. The photo size should be minimum 5”x 7” and 300 dpi for best printing.To become a member of SPIN or renew your membership, visit www.silkpainters.org/membership.html. Membership is $50 US, $55 North American and $62 International.

Volume 22, Issue 1, Spring 2015

Cover art by Pamela GloseBackpage art by Asher Katz

Silkworm CreditsEditor: Tunizia Abdur-RaheemMembership Database: Gloria Lanza-Bajo Layout: Keely DorseyCopyeditor: Phyllis Gordon

Send change of address or questions about membership status to Gloria Lanza-Bajo - Membership ChairEmail: [email protected]: 718 624-0313Want to advertise in Silkworm? Send for our media kit at [email protected] us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/silkpainters/All works presented in the magazine are the property of the artists.

From the Editor’s Desk

It’s spring and most of the planet that just expe-rienced winter are glad to be done with it. Most everyone – especially on the East Coast of the U.S.

– were buried in snow.In Southern California, where I live, some of us

would love to see more winter. Our winter should be the rainy season. But we’re in the midst of what is turning into a long-term drought.

On the news, I keep hearing about oil pipelines. What if we could pipe water through pipelines across the states? That would be great for my garden, not to mention all the farms that flourish in Central Cali-fornia. A straight pipeline from Massachusetts to California - how about that!?! We could pipe all that snowpack from Massachusetts and have a ski season in Lake Tahoe after all. Yeah! Of course, it might require those who run things to thing about things a little differently.

In the spirit of doing it different, we’re spotlighting some artists who are doing just that. They’ve got silk and they’ve got dye. But they’re pushing the enve-lope. From Asher Katz’ stretched silks that give the illusion of being crumpled to Pamela Glose’s ethereal layered canvases.

Maybe they’ll inspire you, as you welcome spring blooms – or more snow ;=( to your environment, we can hold onto that idea. Let’s do it different! If it doesn’t work out, we can always go back or do some-thing else.

Happy Spring!Tunizia Abdur-Raheem, Editor

Tunizia


“An artist... must actively caress won-der: for fascination, like the desire to play, can be eradicated by the rigors of living.” - Eric Maisel.

When was the last time you opened yourself to “caress” wonder? A couple of weeks

ago I found myself marveling at the gorgeousness of the Japanese gardens in Portland. At each turn in the path I found myself drawn toward some fab-ulous combination of moss, water and stone. The fat golden koi swimming under the wooden bridge; the dew glistening on the bare branches of the cherry trees; the circular patterns of raked sand; I was delighted and awed by the natural beauty and the carefully contrived simplicity that I discovered as I explored the gardens. I felt a tingle of excitement as if there was some kind of magic afoot. I felt my sense of wonder activated and energized.

With our culture of busyness it can be challenging to find ourselves in the state of fascination that feeds our creative imagination unless we consciously cultivate a practice of cu-riosity. That may require us to physi-cally slow down and make way for our playful spirit to emerge. The best way I have found to connect with my playfulness and sense of wonder is to turn off my computer and go outside. Being outside and adopting a childlike curiosity helps me to relax and allow my natural wisdom to bubble up. You may just want to sit and listen to bird song or you may opt for making mud pies. Find a place where you can open your senses and become fully aware of the natural world around you. A few minutes of cloud watching can go a

long way in renewing your power of imagination and ability to see connec-tions.

Another way that you can engage your imagination and cultivate your curiosity is to imagine a visit with a being from outer-space who doesn’t know anything about the creative ac-tivity that you are currently pursuing. Have fun inventing all of the details of this space traveler until you have a clear picture in your mind. Then have a conversation with this celestial being that has a tremendous curiosity about what you are doing. Come up with possible questions they might ask you about your work and have fun sharing about your inspiration, your process, and your materials. Don’t forget to lis-ten carefully to what comes up in your interaction. You might be surprised!

Get in the habit of wondering and asking questions like “What if….?” This could look something like: What would happen if I change/do/don’t do/add etc.? If you adopt a play-ful attitude you open yourself up to exploring many different possibilities including the ones that we assume are not even doable. When your explora-tion feels like play you are relaxed and engaged and that’s when you discover the “Aha” that moves you into new territory in your art making.

I recently moved from Santa Bar-bara, Calif.

to Vancouver, Wash. Going from the high desert to the lush forest has given me a chance to surround myself with a completely different environ-ment. I’m in constant awe at the green ferns, moss, vines, and pines that I see as I wander around the Columbia Gorge area. You don’t have to move to another state to engage your sense of wonder, but putting yourself into new situations and taking on a curious at-titude can stimulate your imaginative, intuitive center and turn on your con-nection sensors. Where can you go to play, explore, and discover something fascinating?

Brecia Kralovic-Logan is a fiber artist, Creativity Coach and the author of The Spiral of Creativity. www.thespi-ralofcreativity.com

The Creative Journey Cultivate Curiosity and Caress Wonder

by Brecia Kralovic-Logan


The phrase “all great things must come to an end” can be rather misleading. Many people have

proven that quite the opposite is true. Ending could signify a lack of vision or a petering out of passion.

That is contrary to everything for which Asher Katz and his company, Jacquard Products, stands. For Asher, it’s more like great things come from great beginnings and hopeful futures.

Asher’s father, Michael Katz, started Jacquard Products in the early 1980s as a small business that ran, primarily, from their family garage. Fast forward a few years and the company soon became a distributor for some select labels and merchandise catering to silk painters. Now, Jacquard is the leading manufac-turer of textile artist materials with two sister companies – Jacquard Inkjet Fabric Systems and Silkconnection.com – and an ever-growing dedication to making quality art supplies.

Asher always had an appreciation for art, but it took music to grow that ap-preciation into something deeper. Like most adolescents in high school, Asher wanted to do his own thing. Coinciden-tally enough it was this desire that led him right back to his father’s personal passion.

“Growing up, I spent a lot of time in the darkroom. I have always had an affin-ity for process-based art-making, and I think this comes from my early experi-ences manipulating light and chemistry to make photographic work. In high school, when I wasn’t in the darkroom, I was primarily focused on playing music. I got interested in making t-shirts for my bands, and that led to DIY (do-it-your-self) screen printing.”

As he dipped his toes into the vast world of silk painting, he realized just how many possibilities there were: an endless supply. In the true fashion of most silk painters Asher says that, “needless to say, once I started working with fabric, I was hooked.”

After high school Asher attended col-lege, where he “studied literature…and minored in art, basically by accident, just from having taken so many studio art classes.” Although he does not regret this decision of majoring in English, as opposed to art, he does at times feel like an outsider in a world of professionally trained artists. “I’m just winging it and learning as much as I can as I go.” This is really what most artists – trained and

untrained – seem to do. It takes courage to expand one’s horizons by experiment-ing with different mediums in order to create something truly great. Asher lives by this philosophy of taking things as they come. So far it has guided him into a world that, as a young adult, he could not have imagined.

During Asher’s years in college, his father would send him care packages full of unconventional goodies. Where most

Great Beginnings with Asher KatzBy Ashley Nichols


students received ramen noodles, laun-dry detergent and fast food gift cards, Asher’s often in-cluded an assortment of Jacquard products: “fabric paints, inks, dyes, chemicals, re-sists – so many excit-ing materials.” It was as if his father knew Asher would love Jacquard as much as he did, and would maybe one day suc-ceed him in running the business.

Several years later Asher eventually did work at Jacquard as an Artist Educator, which involved “traveling all over North America teaching workshops, doing dem-onstrations and staff trainings, primarily at art supply stores.” Of course, he also set aside some time for his own artistic development and explored the different avenues of artistry that Jacquard provided.

Jacquard Products has been growing since it began and like a child, it requires constant attention and coddling. Natu-rally it became tiring, and after almost 40 years of running Jacquard Products, Asher’s father decided it was time to retire and pass the baton off to his son.

“Several years ago my dad told me he wanted to retire and that if I was interest-ed in taking over his business, it was now or never. I didn’t know much about the business or manufacturing at the time, but I decided to go for it. Slowly he [father] started to stay at home more and more.”

“I now own and run the business myself, with a staff of about 30 people, many of whom have been with my dad since the early days. I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to take on Jacquard and run with it.”

As if running a company, finding time to be an artist and leading workshops isn’t enough, Asher has managed to create some of the products that Jacquard offers.

“A few years ago I developed a new product for Jacquard, SolarFast, which is a light-sensitive dye that allows you to print

photographically on fabric (as well as paper).”

This unique development allows for almost instan-taneous prints on fabrics – the entire process takes less than 20 minutes, which is revolu-tionary. SolarFast is a dye that can be applied to fabric or paper by a variety of techniques, including batik, screen printing and more.

What makes this method of image transferring so interesting is that it literally uses the power of the sun, which eliminates the needs for harsh chemicals or heat setting. Because it is a dye, it essentially becomes part of the fabric as opposed to an ink that sits on top of it. Jacquard, being a customer-oriented company, provides simple step-by-step instructions on how to use this, and other products, on their website.

It is because Asher takes pride in what his company produces that leads him to strive for better quality and better prod-ucts – the mark of a good business owner. Asher uses and tests his own company’s materials out of a true passion for them. Maybe it is out of habit that he gravitates towards Jacquard dyes or possibly it is


because they are the best on the market. Regardless of the reason, Asher’s utiliza-tion of his products allows him to experi-ence what his customers experience. This helps him enhance the quality of future merchandise.

“Now that I own and run Jacquard, I am glad that I came to textile arts in this organic way. I have become intimately familiar with every product we make, and not just because it’s good for business – I use every single product in my own work, and did long before I got involved with the business of manufacturing.”

Although Jacquard offers a wide range of mediums and dyes, Asher’s preference is silk. When asked why he enjoys silk dy-ing, Asher simply replies: “silk is a magical material that takes color like nothing else.” Similar to SolarFast, the dyes he uses on silk become part of the fabrics as opposed to sticking to them, like paint would. Asher primarily uses the Jacquard Acid Dyes and Red Label Silk colors (which are modified fiber-reactive dyes); occasionally he also uses the Jacquard Dye-Na-Flow

(fluid acrylic paints). One of his many passions

is different fabrics and materials, and seeing how they interact with a variety of dying agents.

“As an artist and manu-facturer, I am especially interested in materials. Be-cause dyes are totally trans-parent and the silk I like to use is shiny, the colors are wildly intense – much more vibrant than any paint. To my mind, the idea that the artwork is in the fabric as opposed to on top of it honors the materiality of the silk.”

Asher also enjoys play-ing around with silk and uncovering the different types of depth he can create in order to highlight and to further recognize the truly “magical” versatility that it provides.


“I try to give the work an illusion of depth and texture. What I attempt to do is create dimension in the painting without actually creating any dimension on the surface. It is sort of an optical illusion, but for me it draws attention to the uniformity of the surface. The effect can be disorient-ing and almost frustrating, which is also the emotional experience I am trying to capture.”

“All the pieces are stretched on frames or panels (like traditional canvases). None are under glass. They are all flat—the wrinkled effect is the illusion I am going for. I have shown some pieces as free-

hanging silks, but I like to stretch them because it emphasizes the illusion of being crumpled.”

These seemingly textured stretched silks are something to behold. He displays these, among a collection of his other ar-tistic pieces, on his website. Although the digital format does not do the real work justice, they are nonetheless breathtaking and intriguing in their complexity and form.

By browsing his collection of works, you will find that a majority of his pieces are untitled, but they remain unnamed for good reason. Art, for most artists is a

form of free expression in which they pull from the soul inspiration that is mystical and nameless; it requires no names. In fact, titles can sometimes hinder a viewer’s perspective of a piece, unless that is the artist’s intentions.

“Naming the pieces is the hardest part for me,” Asher indicates. “Because these works are non-objective, giving them titles feels somehow unfair or wrong. It is like

naming an instrumental song – these are pieces of art that exist on a plane separate from language. They come from something nameless and internal. I also find that giving something a name can change it, much like describing a dream can change your experience of the dream. Only occasionally does a title feel success-ful. Usually titles are sort of embarrassing and I wish the work could just stand on its own.”

Recently – October 19, 2014 to January 1, 2015 – Asher hosted a show entitled Asher at La De Da Salon in Santa Rosa, CA, where he displayed some of his pieces. This opportunity was possible due to his connections from being the owner of Jacquard, as well as to his talent and hard work.

“In a way, my ‘career’ as an artist was derailed when I decided to take over Jacquard. It is hard enough to find the time to make art now that I am running a corporation, let alone pursue galleries and press. On the other hand, being the head of Jacquard has given me a kind of expo-sure I never would have had otherwise.”

In the past several years, Asher’s shows have remained local to California, giving them a more intimate feel, but looking to-wards the future he would be elated at the prospect of showing his work in galleries across bigger cities.


“As much as I would like to be showing my work in high end art galleries in New York City or Chicago, I am just as happy to be hanging work in local coffee shops or salons if there is enthusiasm for the venue.”

His humble attitude is an admirable characteristic that truly reflects his inten-tions and passions for what he does. Although a little recognition via a large gallery viewing is any artist’s dream, Asher does not let his beginnings dampen his goals or outlook for future possibilities. Each step in his life has only led him to better things, and most great things take time or the right timing, but mostly they take patience and an insatiable appetite.

When asked why he does what he does, Asher replies very honestly: “I’m not sure why I am compelled to create art. I won-der about this myself. Like most artists, I have drawers upon drawers, files upon files of artwork that I just don’t know what to do with. Admittedly, this is one reason I am interested in showing more.

All I can say is that I feel compelled to create art. If other people appreciate it and think I ought to keep doing it – or better yet, want to hang it on a wall – all the better!”

Although Asher’s atten-tion is constantly divid-ed, – between running a company, being in his studio and traveling – his passion and dedication to art and Jacquard Prod-ucts is not. It takes a true undiluted passion to do what he does, and he has what it takes to continue in greatness both for Jacquard Products and his personal artistry.

See more at www.asher-katz.com


Has an idea ever resonated with you so much

it made you say, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

I’m not sure who the genius was that first put two silk paintings to-gether into a single unit, but it certainly wasn’t me. I first heard about it, by chance, on a television segment that aired sev-eral years ago. The artist being interviewed was a lovely lady who painted dancing cranes and other Eastern subjects on silk in layers. I was intrigued and decided to try it out myself, and that’s how it all began for me.

To give you a little background, I graduated from the University of Central Florida in 1983 with a degree in Educa-tion (I’m certified in Business and Art). After teaching middle and elementary school for a total of 15 years, I had the opportunity to leave teaching and focus on my art. I loved several mediums and couldn’t pick a favorite; I had a desire to find one area in which I could specialize and build a body of work. I took a Fibers and Fabrics course at the University of Central Florida the following year, and that’s when I discovered silk painting. I fell head over heels in

love with it from the moment the instructor’s demonstration began. It became my passion; ideas came fast and I constantly experimented

with materials and techniques to push past the boundaries of what I already knew.

The Magic of LayersBy Pamela Glose

Metamorphosis (final)


My career as a silk painter was launched when I was selected to occupy one of several studio spaces in a public art gallery in the down-town historic district of Sanford, Florida from 2005 to 2008. In this type of venue, people constantly strolled through to chat and watch the artists at work. I loved the social interaction and the friendly curiosity I found in people. Most had never heard of silk painting, and they were fascinated by the process.

I began holding classes in my studio for small groups of adults. It

was magic to watch them light up the first time they put dyes to silk. Since then I’ve happily introduced hundreds of people to the basics of silk painting.

Now I’m back home in my small private studio near Orlando, and teaching one or two people at a time instead of groups. I’ve writ-ten several e-books on silk painting that include video demonstrations, and I produce a monthly video blog on silk painting tips for all levels of silk painters. My website, www.MySilkArt.com, is dedicated to people who want to learn to

paint silk and/or hone their exist-ing skills and knowledge.

Creating double-layered paintings is still one of my favorite ways to work with silk. In short, a double silk painting consists of two paint-ings mounted together in the same frame. The base, or lower, layer is done on opaque China (habotai) silk – usually 10 mm. The top layer is done on sheer silk, such as organza or chiffon. The two de-signs complement one another so that when presented together, they form a cohesive image.

One of the things I love most


about making double silk paintings is the sur-prise factor. It’s hard to predict exactly what it will look like until both pieces are finished and put together. Each little tweak of the top, sheer layer of the painting can give a very differ-ent look to the finished product.

Colors can surprise you, too. You’ll think the base layer is rich and beautiful, but when you overlay it with another layer of dyes painted on sheer silk, new colors are created. They take on a fresh vibrancy and luminosity that will knock you over.

Another great thing about doubles is the illusion of depth and movement you can create. An overall il-lusionary effect can be achieved by changing some elements of the design in each of the paintings to create a sense of movement. By changing the position of an object in the two layers, the painting ap-pears to capture a sort of slow-motion progres-sion. I use gutta in my work, so those lines, combined with other elements of the design, serve to lead the eye around a painting to follow the movement of the subject.

To begin a double silk painting, I’ll have a mental image of the

scene I’d like to create. Inspiration comes from everywhere; spiritual concepts, dreams, local wildlife. I love to paint women; I think every woman is beautiful in her way, and I relate to the powerful softness of the female spirit (a perfect match to the medium of silk).

Many times, motion itself inspires me, like the undulating fins of a fish, the fluttering wings of a moth, the curve of a flower bobbing in the breeze or the graceful gesture of a dancer. I love the challenge of trying to capture that motion and interpret it in layers of silk and I

The Dawning


love the fun of often being sur-prised by the final result.

It all begins with a very definite plan. I usually create the drawings for the top and base layers separately, repeating in both drawings the elements I want to stay static in the final piece; those are the elements that will be matched up when the two paintings are placed together. In my drawings, I’ll create successive “snapshots” of what I think the object would look like if it were in mo-tion. That’s where the drawings will change and elements will be placed in a pattern that implies movement. I go over my pencil

drawings with black permanent marker so they can be easily seen through the silk when it’s time to do the gutta work.

This was the process for my dou-ble silk painting “Metamorphosis,” inspired during the transition in my life when I stopped teaching school and followed my heart to

a full-time career in silk painting. The finished piece is about 32 x 36 inches. I used 10 mm China silk for the base layer and silk organza

for the top layer. I used Jac-quard black gutta, and the dyes were ProChemical and Jacquard green-label.

The stationary object (the woman’s body) was repeated in both drawings. The parts that moved (wings, hand) were drawn in different po-sitions for the top layer. You

can see that there are three differ-ent positions for the wing – one in the base layer and two more in the top layer.

“I remember the patrons pres-ent in my Sanford studio at that moment. They were wowed and

high-fiving me in glee!”

Bella Moth


studio at that particular moment. They were wowed and high-fiving me in glee!)

The base layer drawing was trans-ferred to China silk and painted with dyes. While that layer dried, I did the gutta work on the organza layer. Once dry, I placed the base layer under clear plastic to protect it from dripping dyes; then I set up the organza into a frame to paint on top of the protected base layer. In this way, I could see right through the organza down through the plas-tic to the base layer. This helps with color selection and gives clarity to what otherwise might be a confusing painting process (there are a lot of gutta lines).

I used wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry techniques on both layers. Dye flow on organza can be very exciting; I was especially de-

lighted by the way the dyes blended and bled together on the flames in the background. (I remember the patrons present in my Sanford

Sacred Moment (final)


After the silk is processed and it’s time to do the framing, I tape the base layer painting to 1/4-inch foam board. Then, on a foam board of equal size, I cut out a “window” and tape the top layer painting to that.

I think the 1/4-inch foam board provides just the right amount of space between the layers; this contributes to the illusion of depth and movement much more than if the paintings were just placed one on top of the other with no space in-between.

Placement of your paintings is the trickiest part of the framing pro-cess. You have to play around with the layers to get them right where you want them before taping them down to the foam board.

The two layers are attached together with a few small pieces of strong tape around the outside edges of the stacked foam boards; this keeps them from moving around and misaligning in the event that the framed piece gets jostled. I cut a piece of mat board for a nice finished look before

framing in a wooden frame with non-glare acrylic. I like to leave about

an inch of foam board exposed around the mat to help “tell the story” that this is two paintings in the same frame.

In the following painting, “The Sacred Moment of Uncertainty” (Deepak Chopra voiced that phrase and inspired this work), the top layer is painted on silk chiffon. Dye flows differently on chiffon than it does on organza; chiffon is somewhat “thirstier” and absorbs dye more readily.

You can experiment with put-ting objects between the layers of a double silk painting.

In “The Dawning,” I tucked in scraps of white silk jacquard as part of the angel’s white garment. They don’t show up as well as I’d

The Dream


hoped in the finished piece. Next time I’ll try this with something that has a little more contrast.

I’ve also experimented with cut-ting away parts of the top layer of double silk paintings to expose the base layer underneath, as you see in “Goddess.” I glued a length of black suede string between the lay-

ers of silk, then cut away the chif-fon from the top layer inside that shape. I used a very tiny, sharp pair of scissors. It was an intensely intricate and time-consuming process.

One of the things we silk paint-ers love most about our medium is that it constantly challenges and

amazes us in living, moving color. If you can imagine something, you can find a way to create it. Figure it out. Give it a try. Astound your-self.

What kinds of images come to mind when you think of creating motion in silk? It’s a free-flowing medium that can be controlled,

Goddess (final)


Goddess (cut-out)

Ro-KataJapanese Wax Stencil Process

DVD Includes:• History • Preparing to Wax • Waxing hibiscus • Blending Process • Cleaning Stencil • Cutting a Stencil• Steaming & Finishing • Applying Wax • Dyeing

This 53 minute DVD is accompanied by a booklet of written in-structions on the process.

http://www.betsysterlingbenjamin.com/

One in a series of instructional DVDs by master artists Kiranada Sterling Benjamin. First available worldwide! This is the “complete course, on one disc” covering the origins of this unique 8C Japanese process, as a flexible art technique for applying pattern to fabric.

Also Available: CD version of The World of Rozome Resist Textiles of Japan. A history of the Japanese resist process.

to a point. You never really know exactly what will happen when you start a new silk painting. Multiply that by two, layer the pieces togeth-er, and you have unpredictable, utterly exciting possibilities!

Pamela Glose is an artist, instructor and writer who has agreed to write a monthly col-umn for SPIN.


The Washington D.C. SPIN chapter is located in the

Washington metropoli-tan area.

However, thanks to Sheila Walsh, one of the chapter members, this chapter was invited to do a “Show and Tell” demonstration of silk painting at Stevenson University in Baltimore, MD, quite a distance from our area.

According to chapter member and demonstra-tor, Diane Tuckman, “Like most silk artists, we couldn’t ‘resist’ an op-portunity to show off our art and have the public participate.”

So, on Friday, Novem-ber 7, 2014, this chapter held its fall event at Stevenson University on the Greenspring Campus School of De-sign department’s facility. The School of Design advertised to the students about the free noncredit introductory course to learn silk painting/dying techniques.

Amanda Gingery Hostalka, MFA, the Interim Dean of the Design School dropped in to welcome the campus and to insure that all was ready for our event.

There were eight participants – six students and two adults. According to Sheila, organizer of the event, “We also invited interested parties to drop by and see what we were doing to encourage interest in silk painting and the art of what goes in to creating silk

dyed or painted creations. First, Diane presented her technique

of using Dye-Na-Flow fabric paints for painting on silk and heat setting with an iron. The students experi-mented with color on the swatches of silk stretched on freezer paper.

Diane says, “I was show-ing heat set paints for quick introduc-tion to the art form, no resist just simply painting, layering, salting and dark edge line. I had stabilized silk on freezer paper. The pieces were not too large as to be intimidating. As students, faculty and

friends trickled in, I handed them a brush. They were often reluctant that is until I double loaded a brush and ran it over the silk. They were immedi-ately enchanted and painted up all the white silk. They kept repeating ‘I am not artistic’! That is when I said I told

them that they had just shown off their artist streak.”

Then Terry Tabor, president of this local chapter, pre-sented her technique of using tissue paper to dye silk and get

dynamic non-representational designs which are unique and surprising. She had her students wet their silk with warm water.

Chapter News:Washington, D.C. - Maryland

Chapter Does a Show and Tell

“They kept repeating ‘I am not artistic’! That is when I said I told them that they had just shown off their artist streak.”


They placed the wet silk cloth into plastic bags with cut up pieces of tissue paper (organized in no spe-cial way, but ensuring that the silk was covered with the tissue paper). Within the plastic bag, they arranged the silk and tissue paper into a ball and dampened the silk again. They were told that the silk and tissue paper should remain in the plastic bag for 1-2 hours for the darkest colors. When the silk is removed from the plastic bag, and separated from the wet tissue paper—according to Terry, “BAM ! A beautiful designed silk !”

Lastly, Sheila used silk painting kits that consisted of dyes, water-based resist, brush, silk on freezer paper and two scarves. She demonstrated how to use the water resist applicator and how to use it to create a design on the plain white silk scarf. She showed how to mix the colors that were included in the kit to create any color that the artist wanted for their scarf. She also used salt and alcohol techniques to demonstrate ways to achieve texture.

Once they finished their scarves she showed them how to steam set the scarves using her crab pot steaming method. Sheila noted, “Some of the participants were most enthusi-astic and they saw the potential for the use of silk paint-ing in their design school efforts.

Most of the stu-dents were fashion designers. They offered simple techniques on silk as a beginners training workshop. The feedback they received was most

positive and the chapter was asked to organize events like this one in the future.

See the following URL to learn more about Stevenson School of Design:

http://www.stevenson.edu/academics/schools/school-design/.

Click on the “View Videos” button to see the campus where we held the event.

Diane Tuckman

Sheila WalshTerry Tabor

SILKWORM (ISSN 2162-8505) is the quarterly magazine of SPIN -- Silk Painters International -- a nonprofit organization of silk artists, painters, practitioners, and educators. SPIN provides its members opportunities to network with kin-dred spirits and to grow through workshops, conferences, juried competitions, and gallery exhibitions. Material contained in The Silkworm belongs exclusively to The Silkworm and/or the artist. Do not reprint without written permission.

SILKWORMP.O.Box 585, Eastpoint, FL 32328, USA

Documents

SILKWORM - Silk Painters 2015-Final-sm… · SILKWORM The Magazine of Silk Painters International. Volume 22, Issue 1, Spring 2015. D. C. and Maryland Chapter News. The Magic of Layers