Linda
Vinson extends her talents as a fine artist to the medium of silk. After
years of studying watercolor, she utilizes that experience and her love
of fabrics to express her artistic visions.
A graduate of the University of Kentucky, Linda has a dual major in
Textile and Design, and Business. Linda has studied under silk artists
from both the East and West coasts to learn the wide range of techniques
her work employs. This combination of influences, and her life in Southern
California, contributes to her unique style.
Modern silk art has developed over the centuries. The Chinese first
made silk cloth over 4,000 years ago. They dyed silk in beautiful colors
and it immediately became a precious worldwide trading commodity. The wax
resist technique was developed in India in the second century. It produces
unique and unpredictable shapes. The gutta resist method was developed in
Indonesia, where the pallaquium tree, from which gutta percha is obtained,
grows naturally. The French perfected silk painting around the turn of the
century. Their gutta serti technique spawned the silk art revolution. The
dyes they developed especially for silk are now used around the globe in
the most elegant silk art creations.
Linda uses both the gutta and wax batik methods. She uses vivid French
dyes on a canvas of the finest Chinese charmeuse and Crepe de Chine silks.
The final step of this multi-layered procedure is to steam the dyed silk
to "set" the colors. Steaming requires precise temperatures and times to
fix and enhance the dyes.
As a medium, silk delivers an unequaled flow and luster of colors.
Every creation is unique because each piece of silk reacts to the dyes
differently. Colors combine according to their nature with spectacular
results. It is the ultimate combination of artist and artistic spirit.
Silk art is versatile and can take many forms. The work can be enjoyed
as framed wall art or wearable art. The pleasure of silk art is only
limited by your imagination.
