Dianne M. Postnieks

Silk Painting has led me in the direction of painting one-of-a-kind garments that emphasize texture and flow. Here, my great love of dance and movement comes shining through. The silk encourages grace and ease of expression, and the capes have become a favorite item with local dancers. I love working with asymmetry in the garments so that they almost invite movement. Recently, I have begun collaborating with a creative seamstress. Together, we are designing garments that enhance the nature of the silk. It's about putting together layers of pattern and color. Add a little wind, and the garments really take flight. These flirty garments are being packed for weekend getaways. Perhaps they are an invitation to romance!

Working with Dharma has allowed me to be very eclectic in my discoveries. I particularly reach for the Jacquard dyes when I want the colors to react to salt. Then, I often add splashes of DuPont dyes for their intense colors. The Tinfix dyes are also on my shelf, and the Mouse Grey has yielded almost a silver quality when used beside intense purples. The discoveries in the studio are constant, and I find the Dharma catalog a useful guide to product information. It guides me through questions as they emerge. In any one garment, there may be a combination of techniques. That's what I love the most about this media is the fresh, alive quality of discovering the real chemistry of how these elements work together on the silk.

Dianne M. Postnieks
Daya Silk
www.dayasilk.com

Background: Dianne M. Postnieks holds a master's degree in education and taught art for many years. Her experience in the classroom included tie-dyeing with literally hundreds of children dipping into the dye pot with their t-shirts. Recently, her great love of working with fabrics was rekindled through silk painting courses. So she plugged in the batik pot, the iron was retrieved from its hiding place, and the steamer arrived from Dharma. This unleashed a fine set of adventures with a seemingly unlimited learning curve.