Silk Wall Hangings

Larger silk paintings lend themselves well to display as wall hangings.   The 'fall' of the material adds vibrancy and life to the subject.  I often use stitching and bead-work to enhance the idea of movement and use draping and sculpting of edges to give shape and form to the finished project.

Heron (30cm by 107cm)
The heron, with its curved elegance of form, is set against a deliberately out-of-focus background using diffuse colours.  I used a wet-on-dry technique to give texture to the moss and lichens on the branches of the tree.  Small areas of 'watermarks' were used to enhance this effect.

Penguins (95cm by 108cm)

The penguins (above), which are on a much larger scale, provide considerable impact in a large space on a stair well.  Here I was going for simplicity of colour and style, trying to replicate the starkness of cold climates.   The beaded 'icicles' at the top of the hanging and beadwork in the seawater at the bottom represent water in its two visible forms.  In both the heron and the penguins hangings I've tried to give the impression of movement in the water but in contrasting ways.

Dolphins  (95cm by 108cm)

The dolphins embody everything I like about working with wax.  It gives immense freedom in both application and the resulting image.  Here I've used real sea shells and beadwork at the base to give texture and weight to the hanging.  The dolphins and water are both highly stylised but the overall effect is one of movement and flowing lines.

Smaller Hangings (Puffin... 20 by 28cm     Kingfisher...16 by 24cm    Mouse... 15 by 20cm)

Demand for simple, but effective hangings allowed me to exploit the intensity of colour offered by steam-fixed dyes but at a smaller scale and simplicity of style for display in locations with more restricted space.

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