Silk Art

Silk has a property no other fibre shares: the filament is triangular in cross section, so it refracts light like a prism rather than simply reflecting it. That is why silk appears to change colour as you move past it, and why a silk panel looks different from every position in a room. Nothing synthetic reproduces it convincingly.

This is a small and deliberately selective collection. The pieces are worked rather than printed, with silk stretched, pleated, layered and combined with mixed media grounds, and seven in ten stand proud of the wall so the light has surfaces to travel across. A third of the range is traditional in treatment, which is higher than in any other material range we make.

Scale is unusually large for a delicate material: every piece is 80cm or above and nearly two thirds pass 160cm. That suits silk, since the shifting colour needs area to be noticed at all. Browse the related soft materials in textile art and leather art.

Silk is the most light-sensitive material we work with. Keep it well out of direct sunlight, which will fade and weaken the fibre faster than any other textile, and away from damp. Dust with a dry soft brush and never with a cloth, which can pull a filament. See wall art and wall decor for the wider range.

Every silk piece we make is handcrafted to order by our artists, designed in Birmingham and made in our worldwide studios. Standard production takes around three to four weeks, and we offer free worldwide shipping. Get in touch if you would like advice on siting a light-sensitive piece.