Our Studio
We work in a light filled space 100 feet from our home. With skylights, tables, benches, a large sink and a steamer for setting the dyed silk, the studio is a place for making art! Each piece of silk is stretched tight on wood frames.
Located six miles outside of Friday Harbor, a quiet space, beneath towering madrone and fir trees.
With colors inspired by the enclosed garden.
I draw the designs free hand, using a resist (lacquer based gutta) to create a solid line that holds the dyes within the design.
The professional dyes come liquid, in basic concentrated colors. I mix the secondary colors, shades and tints in small cups. Once the dyes are steam set they are permanent and the silk is hand washable.
I then use a single watercolor brush painting from the light to the dark areas, adding shadows and depth.
When the stretched silk is dry, it is placed between layers of clean newsprint, rolled on a cylinder then placed in a vertical steamer. The dyes become set by moisture and heat. We rinse the silk to remove any excess dye and wash it gently by hand.
Only then is the painted silk ready to be sold as a scarf or cut and sewn into a garment, or a wall hanging.
Here in Sun Valley, Idaho