I have been an artist since childhood and an art educator for more than 25 years. My training was at Boston University where I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) where I received a Masters in Art Education. My artistic expression has been through a variety of mediums including oils, acrylic, fiber, jewelry, clay, leather and basketry. Since moving to the Washington, DC area in 1994, I learned about silk and all its possibilities. This led me to launch a new career in silkpainting, using batik and other surface design techniques to create hand painted scarves, blouses, neckties, pillows and eyeglass cases. Dharma is my exclusive supplier of Jacquard Red Label Dyes, Synthrapol, Lumiere and Neopaque Paints, and a combination of paraffin and batik wax. Their staff is most personable and helpful in assisting me with the ordering process.

My home-based studio serves primarily as a workspace where all my pieces are created. Its light and airy design permits conversion to exhibit space for various shows throughout the year. Gallery affiliations include the Potomac Craftsmen Fiber Gallery at the Torpedo Factory Artspace, Alexandria, Virginia; Artisans United Gallery, Annandale, Virginia (where I serve on the jurying committee); The Artisans Gallery, McLean, Virginia; Sun and Moon Gallery, Fairfax, Virginia; Artisans of Virginia (State Gallery), Charlottesville, Virginia; and The Linda Nerine Gallery, Chincoteague, Virginia. I am also a frequent exhibitor at home shows and other venues in the Northern Virginia area.

Over the years, my work with adults and children alike has played a large part in my vibrancy both as an artist and a person. I am genuinely fascinated by the healing power that color has on people, and continue to study its potential. As part of my process of self-discovery, I seek to explore the present to find what is genuine in myself, and to "see" through the eyes of my inner child. My silk work serves as an expression of the beauty I find in all life forms, so that my work is not an end in itself, but my passion for life made manifest.

To learn more about my Creative Silk Designs studio and the spirituality of color
please contact me at: (703)698-8976
or by e-mail at sharonsafran@cox.net.
The studio address is:
7711 Thor Drive
Annandale, VA 22003.

If you'd rather speak with a human, please call toll-free from anywhere in the U.S. or Canada 8am to 5pm PST