Tanya Mead Mullen 

Original Fine Art on Silk

                The four paintings above are examples of the two avenues of exploration;

                                         Birds in Nature               Spiritual.

                                Click on an image to enlarge and for information

Technique:

These luminous paintings were created using a technique called the French Serti Method. They utilize a natural rubber product called ‘gutta’ as a resist.

Pristine, white silk is first washed and stretched like a canvas onto stretcher bars. In the simplest method, the composition is drawn on the silk with the gutta, a clear liquid. The dyes are applied by brush, spreading through the silk till it meets the lines of the gutta. Contained, closed shapes are necessary to maintain sharply defined shapes, as the gutta will travel out a single thread to leak or ‘blossom’ if the gutta is not completely circular.

To ‘set’ the dyes, the silk painting is removed from the stretcher bars, carefully wrapped in cotton and steamed for 90 minutes. This bonds the dyes to the silk fibers, making the colors sumptuously rich, vibrant and very permanent. The silk painting is rinsed once more and stretched while damp onto its permanent frame.

This process of setting the dyes makes the finished painting unaffected by moisture. After steaming it will not fade or run and can be simply dusted with a soft, clean vacuum attachment. It does not have to be set behind glass as a watercolor painting or print to contend with reflections. The natural iridescence from the silk and vivid depth of color can be enjoyed from every angle of the room.