Silk Paintings

A few years ago, the Van Gogh estate contacted me to do a piece for a villa remodel.  I don't know how they got my information, but I was intrigued.  They said they'd been particularly impressed with one of Vince's lesser known pieces called "Starry Night," and did I know it?  A quick google search on my phone turned up the results.  The estate representative felt the piece was great, but lacked a certain something - size, perhaps - and would I be interested in a re-imagination of the original?  I'm not one for imagination, but I am one for big, big art.  How do I know it's art if it's not big, right?  So I set about my own vision of this humble piece.  I chose silk as my canvas, and used a wax resist to keep the lighter colors in tact while painting in the darker dyes.  To get the most brilliant colors, I steam-set the piece in a home-made chimney set-up.  It was crazy.

Anyway, they were so thrilled with the outcome, that during their annual Koninginnedag celebration, they made a special point in the villa tour to stop and admire the painting.  The Japanese Imperial family was so impressed, I guess, that they called me the next day.  Sure, I could put something together for the birthday of the new Prince, no problem.  So I got to work on a new piece, using a water-based resist this time instead of wax.  I like to mix it up, you know?  I chose a 16"x60" piece of silk and outlined the details with my resist, so that they would maintain a white outline.  Sharp. I finished the piece with a black wash, since I thought that seemed regal and masculine.  I also steam-set the finished painting, since other methods I'd tried out since the Dutch commission created lack-luster results.  Well, they were happy, and the Prince is said to have spoken his first words upon seeing it.  Unfortunately, I don't speak Japanese so I'll never know what they were.