DIANA SANDERSON
Developing the Silk Weaving Studio has been my professional focus for 30 years. For me the space is the outward manifestation of my own journey. That journey has seen a personal passion transform into a collective enterprise that reaches out to an ever broadening community.
At first, the studio sold only my work. Over time I watched my work evolve, in part due to the input of my assistants each of whom added their own distinct creative spark. As the value of diverse input became apparent to me, I became confident enough to invite colleagues to join me as creative equals, thus allowing the studio to become a fully collaborative environment in which all of us benefit from the artistic energy of each other. Now, we are embarking on a new stage as our collective confidence is allowing us to reach out to like minded local and international artists in an effort to make the studio a significant contributor to the textile scene.
Meanwhile, my own journey has seen a fascination with the two dimensional marriage between colour and silk progress into what is now a four dimensional exploration of how silk can display colour, structure and texture. I continue to indulge and develop my love of colour through the complex multiple dye processes I have developed over the years but increasingly supplement the effect through the use of more complex weave structures made possible by my 16 and 32 shaft looms, and texture through incorporating exciting novelty yarns.
The evolution of my work and the studio has been a source of deep satisfaction to me. I take pleasure in seeing my colleagues develop and succeed and I am thrilled with the positive energy that the Studio seems to impart to so many that visit it. I hope that you are able to experience some of that energy by visiting us at our unique Granville Island location.
At first, the studio sold only my work. Over time I watched my work evolve, in part due to the input of my assistants each of whom added their own distinct creative spark. As the value of diverse input became apparent to me, I became confident enough to invite colleagues to join me as creative equals, thus allowing the studio to become a fully collaborative environment in which all of us benefit from the artistic energy of each other. Now, we are embarking on a new stage as our collective confidence is allowing us to reach out to like minded local and international artists in an effort to make the studio a significant contributor to the textile scene.
Meanwhile, my own journey has seen a fascination with the two dimensional marriage between colour and silk progress into what is now a four dimensional exploration of how silk can display colour, structure and texture. I continue to indulge and develop my love of colour through the complex multiple dye processes I have developed over the years but increasingly supplement the effect through the use of more complex weave structures made possible by my 16 and 32 shaft looms, and texture through incorporating exciting novelty yarns.
The evolution of my work and the studio has been a source of deep satisfaction to me. I take pleasure in seeing my colleagues develop and succeed and I am thrilled with the positive energy that the Studio seems to impart to so many that visit it. I hope that you are able to experience some of that energy by visiting us at our unique Granville Island location.