The September issue delves into the batik art of Muffy Clark Gill, the eco-art of Libby Bussinah while exploring the East-West silk fusion of Rashmi Agarwal.  Also featured, Part 2 of Forming a Silk Painting Chapter with Suz Knight.  Enjoy some fashion images from the Mini-Fest in Tallahassee, Florida.  Mini-Fest was a great success, according to it's participant.  Co-founder Diane Tuckman explains a little about it in a letter to the editor.

In This Issue

Rozome-Batik Artist
Muffy Clark Gill

At age 14, Muffy Clark Gill had a life-changing opportunity to see batik made by native hands.

“My mother had always nurtured my interest in art. We took many trips from our home in New Jersey to the museums in New York.  When still young, she took me with her to Uganda where we saw an art show of decorative batik housewares, lampshades, tables cloths and the like. I had never seen anything quite like it. As a result, I nagged my Girl Scout leader until she set up a crayon batik project for my troop. That was my first work in batik.”

Gill has a strong artistic background with a degree in graphic design from Boston University. She has had a busy career in advertising but maintained her drive for batik and painting on the side for many years.  (To read more, go to Vol. 20, Issue No. 3.)

Eco-Artist
Libby Bussinah

Libby Bussinah began painting on silk ten years ago – a big departure from her classical training with oils and her degree in Illustration and Graphic Design.  Her professional career has been focused in the world of commercial art for about 25 years prior to discovering silk painting. It was the combination of the two that ultimately led her to where she is today – an enthusiastic advocate, devoted to capturing her images on silk.

“If Georgia O’Keefe and Peter Max had a love child – it would be me!” says Libby with a wink.  She laughs as she recounts a tale from her student days at Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota Florida: “I was a second year student in painting class and we were assigned our first major painting - a still life. I thought to myself, ‘Ugh – I do not want to paint a jug of plastic flowers’, like many of my classmates were doing; especially since the project was to span several weeks.  (To read more, go to Vol. 20, Issue No. 3.)

Teaching an East-West
Fusion of Silk
Rashmi Agarwal

Silk painting began in India as early as the 2nd Century A.D. and continues today. Rashmi Agarwal is a native of India and began studying silk painting on her own many years ago.

Like many other silk artists, who had no early access to mentors, she explored the possibilities of silk and dyes on her own for nearly ten years.

“When I first encountered silk painting, it quickly became my passion.  That was nearly fifteen years ago. Today, my passion for silk painting is even stronger.”

Rashmi admits that she was limited because she did not know about the commercial dyes that are readily available in many other countries.  (To read more, go to Vol. 20, Issue No. 3.)