Barbra Paitich

Barbra Paitich studied art at San Jose State University. Silk has been her medium of choice for the past 45 years.

Barbra Paitich’s wall sculptures are woven steel and handpainted silk. The sculptures here exemplify her passion for her silk and steel mediums blended with her passion for wine.

Barbra has always enjoyed fibers; silk, as a canvas, brings luminescence into play. Her work shimmers. Her steel and silk play in unexpected ways. She now works in rustic steel and shimmery, soft silk; the contrast is striking. The steel is cut freehand with a plasma torch. The parts are woven and welded, then the silk is designed and painted with dyes. The silk is steamed in a commercial steamer, washed, ironed and woven with the steel.

She can be found out of doors in overalls with sparks flying as she cuts the steel and in the confines of her studio as she paints on pristine white silk. Her work ranges from 18 inches to 17 feet. The stunning silk interacts with earthy coarse steel as they shimmer and flow with air movement.

In the continual creative process, she began working in metal as she was seeking different ways to frame and show cases her work. Traditional framing expanded to pieces free-hanging from metal cut and welded to create elaborate and dynamic wall sculptures. She first cuts the metal (usually steel) with plasma cutter to gain organic lines from the hard and edgy industrial medium. She then rusts and creates patina to achieve metallic earth tones. Silk is then designed and painted with dyes to produce an integrated work. The dynamic play between the hard industrial materials and the silk makes for powerful pieces.