at this point in time, elayna.com is a one person studio. i was drawn to silk painting while studying for a degree in fashion design. since 1992, my portfolio has included silk yardage, stunning evening gowns, luminous duvet sets, quilted wall hangings, christening gowns and many other creations.

my fabrics are pretty personal and client relationships are very customized. all of the dyeing of the fabric is done by me while construction of the pieces can be contracted out. since my work is original, i am not able to duplicate any exact creation. this can be frustrating when certain beautiful colour combinations are achieved but it ensures that one piece of fabric is unlike another.

i begin dyeing on plain white silk. the weaves, textures and weights of the silk vary considerably from piece to piece. the colours chosen are usually a combination of tonal hues, specific custom colours, or any vibrant shades one can imagine. some pieces have several layers of dyeing while others marry layers together up to half a dozen times. a variety of techniques are used alone or together to create the pieces. at the heart of my painting lies the idea that silk's beauty is best displayed when colours are allowed to flow together in their own natural time following their own way.