Saturday, October 3, 2026
Virginia Holt brought color, technique, and wearable art to HVAA’s Demonstration Saturday, sharing the process behind her hand-painted silk creations.
Based in the San Diego area, Virginia specializes in silk garments and accessories made with a distinctive dyeing process. During the demonstration, she explained how she begins with silk adhered to freezer paper before applying one or more resists to control where the color can travel across the fabric.
Using acrylic-based ink, Virginia demonstrated how the color spreads naturally through the silk until it reaches an area blocked by the resist. The technique allows the paint to move freely while still giving the artist control over the overall design.
Once the painting is complete, the silk must be thoroughly dried, either with a fan or naturally in the sun. Virginia then uses steam to set the design before rolling the silk between layers of paper and allowing it to dry further.
Her finished work goes well beyond traditional silk scarves. Virginia creates shirts, tunics, ponchos, scarves, and other wearable pieces. After completing and cutting the painted silk, she works with a seamstress when construction is needed to transform the fabric into finished garments.
Virginia also shared how she brings her work directly to customers, selling much of her wearable art through art fairs and craft shows.
The demonstration gave attendees an inside look at a medium that combines painting, textile design, and fashion. From controlling the movement of color with resist to transforming painted silk into a finished garment, Virginia showed how many steps go into creating each piece.