KATHLEEN LIGHTMAN

Visual Artist

Kathleen Lightman received a BFA in visual arts from Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia and studied for an additional two years at Victoria College of Art. She is a registered art therapist in practice for over 20 years and continues to train and supervise art therapists. Kathleen has also worked as an illustrator and has exhibited her paintings in a number of group shows. Currently she paints and produces decorative arts in a variety of media from her studio on Pender Island. She offers individual art therapy and creativity based workshops. Kathleen has a profound belief in the practice of art for healing, growth, self-exploration and spiritual awareness.

What is silk fusion?

Silk fusion produces a fabric similar to handmade paper and felt but with the lustrous qualities of pure silk. Silk cocoons are unwound and carded in to long fibres. These fibres, natural or dyed, are teased into fluffy lengths, and then carefully laid out in a design devised by the artist. Sandwiched between screening, the piece is then wet to allow the fibres to accept the medium that fuses them. After hanging to dry, the fibres fuse into a solid piece that may be a complete work in itself or further embellished to produce a fine art piece or sewn into wearable art soft furnishings.