In 1982, while building a new home, I needed a craft to keep me from being endlessly annoying to those around me. Hence, I found some silk dyes and resist in a shop without any instruction set out to temporarily paint a pretty design or two.
This dalliance turned into an irreversible addiction. I painted pillow covers, scarves, wall hangings, and clothing. Today I do only framed "fine art" paintings.
I have continued to self-teach but owe some skill to a few weekend classes I took with Natasha Fouko, a California silk artist.
My work has been shown in galleries in the Netherlands, Vancouver, BC., Washington, Oregon, California, Florida, and New York City.
Two of my pieces were published in The Best of Silk Painting by Diane Tuckman and Jan Janas in 1994.
Margriet Seinen
Painter, designer, teacher, builder, and gardener.
Silk painting is an ancient art dating back to 2600 BC in China. It’s different from painting on canvas or paper because the “paint” doesn’t sit on the surface. Instead, the color is absorbed, becoming part of the protein fiber of the silk. The shine of the silk itself becomes part of the brilliance of the color. The “paint” is a spot of ink or dye in liquid form. To control the flow of this dye, the painter must limit the amount of pigment on the brush or use Gutta / Serti, a latex-based resist, drawn in as a line that stops the flow of paint.
There is no dip dyeing involved. All my pieces are painted with watercolor brushes, and the dye medium is transparent, so “mistakes” cannot be painted over.
I use a ten or 12-momme (weight of silk) Chinese silk habotai as my canvas. When a painting is done, it is wrapped in newsprint, steamed to set the color, then ironed and mounted on foam core to be framed.
The longevity of an original painting on silk is similar to, or better than, a watercolor painting or pastel. Most of the old textiles preserved now in museums are silk. There are Chinese silk paintings from 300 BC that are still intact. However, the most permanent silk dyes are subject to fading over time in bright light, especially sunlight, so paintings should be hung out of direct UV rays. Silk itself is more durable than other fabrics. It is also naturally resistant to various molds and mildews.