Silk is archival and has been used as a medium of expression for a long time. Records indicate that silk has been in production before 6803 BC with examples of brightly colored silk found in China from the third and fourth century BC. Even though my work is conemporary and new in its approach, the use of silk was being used long before canvas or paper ever was.

Protecting Fine Art Silk Paintings

All the silk painting I produce becomes sealed into the fabric, and therefore the dyes are bound in the fiber. This makes the peaces hand washable using a mild soap and able to be ironed with high heat. 

Light - UV light can fade the colors in a textile. The best way to protect a silk painting is to keep it out of direct sunlight. Framing the artwork under UV-protected glass such as museum glass can eliminate the impact of fading but general you should store your painted silks away from direct sunlight.

Moisture - Silk resists mildew and most other bacteria and fungi but moisture and humidity can make the silk fiber brittle over time. If framing a silk work under glass, make sure there is air flow around the painting to reduce the possibility of moisture build up and generally keep silk artwork in humidity controlled environments.

You can find more information on the history or biochemistry of silk and silk painting in the book ‘Silk’ by Mary Schoeser, Yale University Press, 2007