The History of Silk and Some Amazing Silk Art on TAFA

Check out the TAFA Website: http://www.tafalist.com/s-silk

There is an amazing article on the history of silk on the TAFA (Textile and Fiber Art List)  website. My silk painting (along with the work of other very talented silk artists) is featured in the article which explains the fasinating history of silk. Read about the silk road, sweat shops, fair trade and see the incredible works of art created with silk by contemporary artists, including me!

Adventures on the Silk Road

If the story of cotton is sung out in tears and lament, the story of silk makes for epic movies of conquest and desire. As a fiber, silk's resilience, strength, luminosity and sheen made it a coveted material in long times past and continues to hold us like a magnet in today's fashion industry, even with our short attention span. I don't think I knew what a time consuming and fragile operation it was to work with the silk worms until I read one of Pearl S. Buck's novels. I think it was in The Good Earth. The care of the mulberry bushes, which feed the worms, was a big part of the story. As my passion for textiles increased, stories of the Silk Road, also captivated my interest. The route between China and Europe first started  through the desire to conquer the unknown territories lying west of the Han dynasty: Click Here to read more and see the silk art.