About the Artist and Her Work:       (Juliana Essenburg graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Painting. Though trained primarily in acrylic painting and sculpture, she was introduced to the art of silk painting at the University and was hooked. She now resides in Englewood, Florida where she is focusing on developing her talents as a silk painter.       Juliana has been exhibiting her work since November of 2002. She has won numerous awards including Best in Show 2-D at the "Englewood Winter Fine Arts Festival" and third place for 2-dimensional art at "Saturday and Sunday in the Park with Art" in Miami, FL.)

"I have chosen silk painting because I like the challenge of working with such an unusual medium. I love the vibrancy and richness of color that can be achieved by working with dyes on silk without sacrificing any of the fabric's natural softness and grace. The pigment is infused in the very fibers of the silk, rather than laid on top of the painting surface. This allows the natural sheen and sparkle of this beautiful material to continue to shine. That subtle shine adds a special quality of depth to the image, particularly when the light is just right.       "My original silk paintings are executed by directly applying translucent, water-based dyes to the silk with soft brushes in the "gutta serti" technique. This indicates the primary use of resist lines drawn in gutta (a plant-based rubber compound) to create the basic shapes and preserve certain details. After mapping out the design I begin to apply the dyes working from light to dark in a series of washes. For detail work the silk is treated in selected areas with a dye flow inhibitor. Once finished they are steamed in order to set the dye, hand-washed, then dry-cleaned to remove the gutta. I carefully mount and frame the painting under glass in order to protect the fine fibers of the silk. This is an ancient art form, and if properly executed and cared for, a painting may last indefinitely.       "While the subject matter may vary, I hope to express with all my work an appreciation for and admiration of nature. I am particularly fascinated by the interplay of color and light over the sensual forms of growing things. Curvilinear design dominates most of my work and the use of outlines, a necessary evil in the gutta serti technique, complements this approach. - Thank you for taking time to learn a little about what I do and why. May the rest of your day be blessed.