Hellendag's Silk Creations

Hello and welcome to my blog.

I'm Jane Hellendag, (HEL en dahg) artist and creator of the very softest in hand-painted, salt dyed, or silk screened silk accessories. The process culminates into beautiful one-of-a-kind silk creations such as hand-painted scarves, shawls, ties, camisoles and more. My work is a direct reflection of my love of art.

So that you can get a feel for the craftsmanship of my wearable silk art creations, let me tell you a little bit about myself first. I had intended to become a printmaker but several weeks into my first required painting class my instructor came up to me in the hallway.

She put her hands on my shoulders, looked me in the eye and said, "You’re not a printmaker. You’re a painter -- believe me!”

She was right. I needed the bold strokes of a brush and unrestrained color.

A few years ago my husband, bought me a cute little silk painting kit, which included dyes and a white silk scarf. I was frankly, not really interested, so the box sat on the shelf. Eventually I pulled it out and tried a little something on scrap silk stretched on an embroidery frame. Whoa! I was hooked. This was meant to be!

So now that you know a little about me, I can introduce you to the heart of my craft -- silk in all its glorious forms. Each type of silk has its own distinctive look and feel, its own advantages, and character.

Silk is so versatile and can be matched to fit any mood or occasion -- my creations come in a variety of offerings and embellishments. Well, it's time to let my beauties speak for themselves!

For example, flat crepe which happens to be my most absolute favorite silk fabric, is lightweight and smooth. It feels cool to the touch and has a sensuous flow and shimmery surface.

Silk Charmeuse is very, very, soft to the touch. This is a heavier silk with a smooth shiny surface on the front and a matte finish on the back. Colors on charmeuse seem to glow.

Silk Satin is very much like charmeuse, but in a lighter fabric. This is a divine fabric which feels rich and smooth and has a beautiful drape.

There are so many more kinds of luscious silks that I can tell you about, but perhaps you'd like to explore at your leisure.

To learn more about silk and to view samples of the types we've explored today as well as the kinds of silks yet to be discovered by you, please click here and feast your eyes on the softest most luxurious hand-painted silk accessories imaginable.

Until next time, I hope you enjoy visiting and that you find something special and inspiring for yourself!