Using Silk Prints

I recently discovered the Etsy shop of The Whimsical Peacock, a supplier of fabrics and print panels who has had a lot of Etsy success with over 400 sales.  She’s mastered the process of printing full color pictures on silk habotai panels without changing the hand (or feel) of the silk.  I’ve purchased a few things from her and have used some of them on scarves. 

The compulsive art historian who lives within me needs to identify the artists, but hasn’t had luck with all of the prints, yet.  The beautiful face above is a detail from the Botticelli painting, Venus and the Three Graces, which hangs at the Louvre.   I fused this graceful image onto a scarf I made from complementary colors of buff and peach colored yardage.  It is for sale at The Joyful Jewel in Pittsboro, NC. 

The colorful silk charmeuse scarf at the left features Alphonse Mucha’s Study for the North Star.   Mucha was a very prolific Art Nouveau artist.  His distinctive women are frequently reproduced in ads, which is the purpose he originally painted them for.  This scarf is listed at my Etsy shop. 

You’ll have to visit the Black Hills of South Dakota to see the last two scarves in person, as they will be sent to the Dakota Nature and Art Gallery at the end of the month.  To the left is a toast-colored iridescent scarf featuring a print of Alphonse Mucha’s Moet Champagne label.  It’s also embellished with decorated with oil sticks and gutta.  The orientalized woman at right looks like a Thomas Dewing . . . or Hughes?  or Waterhouse?   Obviously, I haven’t identified her yet, but I think she looks quite at home set within the forest I painted behind her.    

Any budding art historians out there will be eager to use the Smithsonian’s wonderful research tool on American Art.  Joan of Art  tried to identify the last image for me but, alas, she didn’t have any luck either.