Warrnambool Artist David Higgins asked me to put together a video piece on how he creates his silk paintings. The audience for this video is the fashion industry in Japan. He is selling his silks to create beautiful kimonos. He projected this video at a Textile Exhibition he had in Tokyo Dec 15th, 2013.
David Higgins: Silk Painter from First Ladies – Colleen Hughson on Vimeo.
I filmed this project over a few weeks and used time lapse to capture the long process of creating one of David’s beautiful silks.
About David
David Higgins is a multi-disciplined artist who lives and creates in Warrnambool. Watch David Higgins create one his original silk paintings in just 3 minutes- thanks to Time-Lapse that is! The process of creating a silk painting takes weeks and uses multiple methods and materials.
“My work with silk began after I finished a university art school career. I had worked as a graphic designer, illustrator and sculptor until then. I was looking for a new direction with techniques to suit the time and my needs, something new and intuitively creative. I met Marion Hera-Gorr the owner of Beautiful Silks. She introduced me to the world of silk, textiles and silk painting. That is nearly a decade ago. Since that time I have drawn and painted several kilometers of line and brush work and explored the materials and textiles in a relentless manner.
The act of making silk art is a very enjoyable and intuitive process. It is completely different to my past artistic pursuits as the method excludes pre planning and encourages a flow of creative energy that is refreshing and invigorating.” David Higgins.
David conducts professional silk painting workshops in the Warrnambool area and in Melbourne to textile and art and designers. He has been exhibiting and selling artwork into Japan since the mid 1980’s. Japan has a specially affiliations with silk. He initially exhibited his silk hangings in group shows, galleries and boutiques but now sells his original designs to the fashion industry.
His silks are used to create a series of dresses and kimonos.