About the Art...

“What is silk sculpture?” is a question people ask me so often.

It’s always easier to show an image than try to explain the multifaceted result…. In this case, seeing really is believing. It seems impossible, but with a lot of time, patience, creativity and love, silk can be transformed into extraordinary three-dimensional self-supporting structure.

Silk always conjures up the idea of lightness and fluidity, so weightless that you could almost blow it away. That is just describing the luxurious silk fibre itself, beautifully light and soft, but underneath its ethereal beauty lies incredible strength. The process is achieved by hand, there are no shortcuts and I use ‘tools’ of natural wood or stone, usually rose quartz, to achieve this. For added stability the sculptures are often weighted with a removable silk bag of sea glass or semi-precious stones. 

My unique process concentrates on the concept of silk’s softness, but also its inner strength. Fusing it with another incredibly soft luxury fibre, ultrafine Merino wool, transforms the two into a self-supporting sculptural structure. I let the creative process lead, listening to the vibration of where the silk is taking me, focussing on the form, shape and texture, rather than something for practical use.  I often refer to the surface texture of my vessels as “Jurassic Silk” from the idea that scientists are gathering evidence that dinosaur skin could, indeed, have been more colourful that we thought.

The process begins with taking fine white silk fabric and transforming it into the first art form by delicately hand painting it. Whether inspired by the world of nature, everyday textures or completely from my imagination; the silk comes alive and with a vibrancy way past anything that could be achieved on paper, canvas, ceramic or traditional surfaces. Selecting the colour of the soft Merino wool fibre to fuse with the silk dictates the hues of the finished piece. Every sculpture is unique and it is incredibly exciting to discover how the original colours have been transformed once they have been through the fusion process. 

The intricate sequence takes a considerable amount of time; sometimes weeks or even months from initial concept, depending on the design and desired outcome. 

It never ceases to amaze me that a simple piece of silk undergoing many stages on the design journey can be reborn into a majestic silk sculpture that speaks to its intended owner.  I’ve always found that other Artist’s pieces choose to “speak” to me and so in turn I’m sure my work will find its own true home.

Working with natural materials feels like a privilege, as well as being a constant source of inspiration.  I love the link to nature, as it fosters a sense of connection with the environment. Creating something so unique and tactile in a world of synthetic replication is the heart and soul of art to me and I impart that into each of my creations. 

Delicate yet enduring, familiar yet unexpected, I believe the transformation of one of the world's oldest luxury fibres into Silk Sculptures, is both captivating and unforgettable. It’s what makes my own heart sing.

If you’d like to know more or purchase one of my creations, please contact me by clicking here.