I paint artwork on silk. Many of these works of art can be worn as clothing. My work often celebrates the beauty of nature, but it also celebrates the beauty of the people who wear it and display it.

Silk is an incredible textile. It is a natural fiber that has been cultivated for over 5000 years. Iridescent, smooth, and luxurious, it has been desired the world over, such that the world’s most famous ancient trade route, the Silk Road, is named after it. Silk is a time-honored fabric that will make you feel beautiful.

I started working with silk in 2016. After completing my undergraduate degree in painting (previously, I worked mostly with oils and mixed media), I was working as an outreach coordinator for an art supply store. We sold some silk painting supplies and I decided to try it out. I fell in love with the way that super-smooth silk takes dye, but also with the possibilities of working with fabric. Over the next two years, I would travel around the world, chiefly in Egypt and Morocco. I noticed how wearable art opened up connections without words. Women started taking selfies with me, wrapping my paintings around us. I wanted to make more of these magic moments.

I begin with completely blank, white silk. I always use 100% silk in a variety of weaves: crepe de chine, organza, etc. depending on what is needed for the project. Most types of silk require creating a resist, that is, an outline that will act as a barrier for the fast-flowing dye. After applying the resist, I paint “between the lines” with dyes. After the work is finished, the painting goes through a steam-setting process that permanently bonds the dyes to the fabric so that it can be washed.

China, Egypt, France, India, Italy, Morocco, Thailand, UK, USA