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The Artist

 

Originally from Alliston, Ontario, Marilyn is now happy to call New Brunswick home. What started as a 2 week vacation in 1978 to visit her friend Bill, eventually turned into marriage, 3 children and a life of gardening, lobster fishing and silk painting.

Marilyn's unique designs are inspired by a life long love of silk and nature. Her hand painted images recapture the gardens of her youth and reflect the East Coast's simple beauty. The bright colours and whimsical paintings are sure to bring a smile to your face.

Her work may be seen at her home studio or craft stores and galleries througout the Maritimes.

The Work

 

Every item starts as white silk. I draw my designs directly onto the silk with a resist called "gutta" using a small squeeze bottle with a metal tip to control the flow. The resist permeates the silk and stops the dye from spreading. A steady and determined hand is needed at this stage because there is no erasing the gutta resist.

Once the resist is dry the silk is then stretched on a frame and painted with dyes for painting. The dyes are liquid and thinned with water or alcohol and flow easily across the silk until they hit a resist line.

After the painting is completed the silk will be steamed for 3 hours to make  it colourfast and vibrant. Once steamed the silk will be hand washed and ironed and is ready to wear or become a wall hanging.

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The Care

Hand wash in cool water with soap for delicate fabrics. Gently squeeze out water then roll in a towel to absorb excess water. Iron on a low setting while still damp. If your silk has a gutta design on it iron on reverse side.

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