Silk Wall Hangings

Marie Laure uses her own techniques to paint silk wall hangings.

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Filed under: Fabrics, Art, Painting, Crafts

Marie Laure Ilie began working with silk more then 30 years ago when she was living in Paris. It began with silk scarves; then a batik class opened her eyes to more possibilities in working with and painting on fabrics. From there she developed her own techniques in painting on silk and what can be done with the materials. For the past 30 years, she has lived in the U.S. and has exhibited extensively with her unique take on silk painting and tapestry.

Using three different textures of silk and three different painting techniques to bring out the best in those fabrics, Ilie creates beautiful wall hangings. She begins with her background piece, which is stretched and then painted. Once that paint is dry, the fabric is steamed, washed and pressed. This background is then left to rest. Meanwhile, the organza silk that will be used for layers is painted and cut out into the abstract shapes that the design calls for. The background is laid out again, and the layered shapes are positioned on it. Each cutout is glued around the edges and adhered to the piece. A third raw silk is used for the borders, which are also painted to match and cut out. The border is stitched on.

Her compositions are undeniably unique, and her colors are extremely durable, lasting for much longer than other dyes. Being inspired by ancient hangings, Ilie strives to make hers look like tapestry. Her abstract designs and creative use of materials is a modern take on a very old art.