This week
we started on silk painting. I can’t believe it, we have got a full house
again. Ten participants, two staff members and Rozi and me. I’m beginning to
worry whether I’ve got enough ready cut silk pieces, palettes, brushes, gutta
…. Every table in the big dining room is full. I am talking to myself: “we will
need three sessions for painting silk scarves, as they are too long, and we
haven’t got enough table room!” …
Soon designs were outlined with gutta, a paste that prevents silk paint spreading across the smooth fabric, but it is also very easy to smudge. After this, the outlined shapes were carefully painted, everybody was really pleased with them. We plan to assemble them into a hanging. I can see it right now, a beautiful, vibrant hanging, brightening the dining room. We will certainly have made our mark.
Charlie
the cat proudly showing his ginger stripes, next to the beautifully painted
flower.
Most
people found silk painting very relaxing. The trickiest part was applying
gutta, but once that is on the rest is plain sailing.
An
interesting discussion took place.
“This
illness is very perfectionist. I am surprised. I nearly didn’t come today
because I didn’t enjoy the stencilling. It’s too precise. There was a lot of
careful cutting and prep work required, and then a disappointment when the
result wasn’t what I’d expected. I found it stressful. With the silk painting,
it is easier to relax and just enjoy experimenting with the painting. There’s
no pressure for creating an end result. This has been a great technique for
relaxing”.
“The rest
of our treatment is very precise, and there is always a reason or end goal to
everything. It’s great to have some time away from all that. It’s a good
contrast.”
Coming home I immediately counted how many scarves I had, as it takes up to a week to get them from the suppliers, and I’ve bought more black and silver gutta, the most popular colours. So the materials are ready, roll on next Thursday!
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