Featured Artist : Christine Amstutz |

I was fortunate to grow up in a beautiful mountain village in Central Switzerland. My parents’ deep connection to nature and to all the different phenomenons like sun, storms, snow, and rain, to name just a few; as well as my father’s artistic activities; were passed on to me and my brother at a very early age. But different circumstances lead to my taking up arts very late in life.

Many arts classes (such as perspective drawing) guided me toward dry pastel painting and charcoal. But my biggest wish has always been to work with pure silk because of its feel and the lightness of this luxurious material.

24 years ago, I moved to Montreal, Canada. A little over 7 years ago, I enrolled in a beginner’s silk painting class. Working with silk became “love at first sight." I was fascinated by the fact that the dyes were spreading, but that they could also be contained. I felt like a child in a candy store! After 8 weeks of class, I began exploring it at my own rhythm. I began to read everything available on silk painting. Susan Moyer’s books became the turning point in my artistic path, and they are still my steady companions for advice and motivation. Through them, I learned to always reach beyond the already known; to explore. Thank you, Susan, for being such a wonderful inspiration!

Many of my ideas come out of my own photographs (you will find some of them in my main site below with links to my photo gallery). They often serve as a basis for colors or patterns. The elements of design add balance, harmony and depth. As for the themes, there is no limit: flowers, nature, abstracts, elegant, fun, colors, animals.... Almost always, I apply  different techniques within the same artwork.

I am using Dharma’s different hand-rolled silk scarves according to the project I am working on. I am very happy to be able to order all my Pebeo silk dyes, water-based resists (Pebeo, Sennelier, DuPont, “Silkpaint”) as well as dye thickener, thinner and anti-spread (all water-based) and bees wax from my favorite place: Dharma Trading. Thank you guys for such very appreciated customer service!

Today, I am open to any custom order, be it for private or commercial use. I am also preparing to teach my first class. I would love to transform my silk painting activity into a full-time job. And as for my goal within, it is to become more and more authentic in my creations; to become more and more unique as an artist.

Christine Amstutz, Montreal, Qc., Canada

Website: http://www.uniquesilkart.com

e-mail: c.amstutz@sympatico.ca