Featured Artist : Laura Kessler

My name is Laura Kessler, and I have a Bachelor's Degree in Studio Art. I enjoy moving a lot, so after working with metals, photography, and mixed medias, I started painting silk because I am able to create large pieces that are easy to travel with & can pack all my materials into one suitcase. When I began six years ago, I painted the blank silk pillowcases from Dharma with the Deka paints. The pillowcases were great because they were already hemmed and I was able to spend my time painting instead of sewing. The Deka paints were ideal because they were non-toxic and set with in an iron in seconds. Unfortunately, Deka went out of business, so I began using the Jacquard fabric paints, watering them down to a dye consistency. They work well, but the dye is not as intense and they take longer to heat set. I have also painted silk scarves by folding the silk and squirting the dye onto them. My favorite scarves are the Silk Charmeuse because the material has a wonderful flow and softness to it.

I went to the Dominican Republic for a few months and found the tropical plants were extremely well captured with the silk techniques. I painted the silk sarongs available on Dharma and hung them with a piece of bamboo on the top and one to weigh it down on the bottom. The sarongs are great because they are already hemmed and mounting them with bamboo made them easy to pack-and-go. I used the silk scarves in the same manner.

My absolute favorite Dharma product is the Vanishing Fabric Markers. This is a great way to lay out designs, especially large pieces. The ink just disappears when you apply the dye. Fantastic! My second favorite tool is the Make Your Own Marker. These can be used with any dye and allow incredible control and detail.

After a 2 year hiatus, I am beginning to paint silk again. I look forward to experimenting with new techniques and focusing on larger pieces that can be shown in galleries. Please feel free to check my website at www.lkkessler.com to see more examples of my work. If you have any questions, my email is lkk@lkkessler.com.