wrap it St. Petersburg artist Jill Kalber is not only inspired by nature in creating her handpainted silk scarves, but sometimes she even lets nature help do the work.
BY LINDSEY HUMBERG
ELEMENTS OF STYLE Photographs by James Borchuck
Fifteen years ago, at a roadside stand in Estonia, Jill Kalber purchased a hand-painted silk scarf that ignited her creative passion. Initially, she thought of it as an addition to her collection, but she soon was inspired by the unique design and technique. “I paid $20 and got all the way home when I thought that I really should have bought two,” she said. “(The artist’s) painting style was different than mine, but she inspired me.” Kalber began researching techniques and creating her own designs using the serti method, a French approach. She started each scarf by using a squeeze bottle filled with water-based resist to draw on a piece of stretched silk. The resist acts like a wax, leaving white lines after she brushes water-based silk dyes onto the fabric. The dye bonds with the fabric after a period of rest, and the scarf is placed in a steam box to heat-set the color. A few days after the steaming, Kalber hand-washes the fabric, which dissolves the resist. Serti was her first approach to silk painting. Her Just Jill Designs now includes other techniques, such as abstract freehand brush designs. And she has learned to control the flow of