From time to time people ask me why I chose silk as a surface for creating my artwork.
Usually I tell them that I like the texture of the material. I like the way dyes move on silk and sometimes create unpredictable effects. I like that I need to continue to improve my professional skills because silk doesn’t forgive mistakes. All of these are reasons why I enjoy working with silk, but none of them answer the question of why I decided to work with silk in the first place.
This question made me think and return to my childhood. I remember my grandma had a wonderful collection of apparel fabrics and many of them were silks. They were rich, floral Crepe Georgette and Crepe De Chine silks. I loved to play dress up with them and imagined I was a lady. The delicate drapes of the soft fabrics felt so special when I put them on. My grandma always wore her handmade dresses, same for my mom and me. In my family, creating clothing was a tradition. Sewing our own pieces was enjoyable, but it was also our preference because alternative options were limited. We lived in the former Soviet Union, so buying nice clothing was difficult. Everything in the stores was gray, black and ugly. Everyone in the streets blended in as one big cloud of gray. Even my school dress was dark brown and made out of cheap, unpleasant wool. To make it more cute, my mom would crochet a little collar for me. The world outside my home was very different from my grandma’s silks.
For me, these colorful fabrics were not just nice for playing dress-up. They were a symbol of the possibility for a different way of life. It was a way to resist the communist environment, a way to defend and save my personality and not become part of the gray crowd. This is why my scarves are so vibrant, and cheerful. I get a lot of inspiration from the colorful flowers in my garden. I also enjoy creating detailed scenes with natural elements to tell a fairytale story. All of my scarves are unique - I know how precious the freedom is to be yourself and choose for your life your own colors!!!!!!
