ST. GEORGE — Silk scarves swirling with vibrant colors in patterns you’ll never see twice are just a thread of what this artist is creating.
“I’ve just always loved art,” artist Lynda Holman said, swirling paint into a thick liquid in front of her. “And now I put nature into art. It’s play. It’s so many things.”
After a combined 47 years of teaching elementary school students, Holman now specializes in silk marbling, an art form that includes creating paint designs on everything from canvas to scarves to pillows.
The ancient art was seen frequently during the Renaissance in gold and hand-illuminated books with gorgeous marbling on the inside bookplates, she said.
The marbling process includes floating fabric paints on the surface of a thick cellulose solution, which creates the effect of oil on water. The floating paints are then swirled into patterns via Holman’s handmade rakes or other items.
Designs are captured first by washing the item in a chemical agent that acts like glue and allows the paint to stick to the fabric. The item, such as a scarf or piece of paper, is then laid over the water. The paint transfers to the item and is hung to dry.
“It’s all about choosing colors and then choosing your design,” she said. “Every piece is unique.”
But how did an elementary teacher become a marbling artist?
Holman taught school for 32 years before working as a STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — coordinator for another 15 years.
She purposely chose to work in high-poverty schools with the goal of making a difference, she said. She knew incorporating art into her teaching would help the children learn in a new way while providing a creative outlet.
“It’s really just letting kids learn through a different medium than a book,” she said
She incorporated art into the everyday classroom with projects like moving marbles around in paint to create designs and more. And the kids loved it. She, along with other teachers, worked together to apply for grants such as “Meet the Masters,” which brought funding into the schools to assist with the creative side of education.
“Those kids had nothing, and it was widening that door,” she said. “I believe in blank paper instead of filling in blanks. Give the kids a piece of blank paper and show me what you can do. Write, draw, do something. It just helped kids who had such few experiences widen doors.”
In addition to introducing art into the classroom, she had a creative outlet of her own. She loved spending time outdoors and capturing landscapes with her camera. That led to her starting her own business — Twice Comes Twighlight.
After Holman retired from teaching in 2018, she moved from Georgia to St. George. Spending so many years remaining busy, she looked for more things to fill her time. She began painting pillows and canvas in her spare time and gifting them to friends and family.
While researching art forms online, she discovered marbling and was instantly intrigued. To learn the right way, she traveled to California and took a two-week marbling class.
That was three years ago, and she hasn’t stopped since.
Holman’s work has been showcased inside MoFACo for the last three months. While the store is set to close, she’s thankful not only for her time there but the connections she’s made with other local artists that will last far past the shop’s closure.
Interested in learning about silk marbling? Holman offers marbling classes right in her home studio. To inquire, message her on Instagram or send her an email.
See her photography work here.
Photo Gallery
Artist Lynda Holman stands makes a silk marbling design at her home art studio in St. George, Utah, Nov. 30, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artist Lynda Holman stands makes a silk marbling design at her home art studio in St. George, Utah, Nov. 30, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artist Lynda Holman creates paint designs before they are transferred into permanent art, St. George, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Lynda Holman, St. George News
A paint design waits to be transferred to silk and paper in St. George, Utah, Nov. 30, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artist Lynda Holman creates paint designs before they are transferred into permanent art, St. George, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Lynda Holman, St. George News
Artist Lynda Holman stands makes a silk marbling design at her home art studio in St. George, Utah, Nov. 30, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Completed silk marbling designs sit on a table inside Lynda Holman's art studio in St. George, Utah, Nov. 30, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Completed silk marbling designs sit on a table inside Lynda Holman's art studio in St. George, Utah, Nov. 30, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artist Lynda Holman stands with her silk marbling designs at her home studio in St. George, Utah, Nov. 30, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artist Lynda Holman stands with her silk marbling designs at her home studio in St. George, Utah, Nov. 30, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
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