Silk Painting

I wish I could say this is a project I've been working on but it isn't!  My sister in law makes beautiful lamp work beads and these gorgeous handprinted silk scarves.  I love spending time with her but with me in California and her here in England, it doesn't happen as often as I'd like.  You can find her blog here.  This week I watched her paint these two lovely nature inspired scarves in her conservatory, surrounded by swathes of flowers in the garden and watched by her large black cat.  These butterflies are swallowtails found in Norfolk where she had just been on vacation.  

The butterflies are outlined with a transparent resist called gutta. This prevents the fabric paints from bleeding.  There is still sometimes a little feathering but it is part of the process and look.  Painting the silk is much like watercolor painting.  There is a lot of water used.  The paints dry into softer shades than when wet. 

Ruth sells her scarves and jewelry through local boutiques and galleries.