I was in a workshop one evening and there was a woman dancing with a silk veil. She was long limbed and balletic, but she moved with the veil as if it were the love of her life. The veil came alive and they seemed to dance together like partners. I had never seen anyone dance before like that with so much love. I was riveted to how deeply immersed she was. From then on dancing with the belly dance veil became very intense. I was trying to reach the same state as this woman. Belly dance was wonderful, but when I began dancing with the silk veil my focus was on the veil and I had no time for self-conscious musings. My dance improved, became smoother and more graceful. I had been a tomboy when I was young, and evolving into a graceful dancer was a long, long process.

In 1999, after lots of odd jobs I sat in a cubicle in New York and started to think about what I wanted. All I could think of was a few words – mobility, color, lightness and movement. Not long after I cut my first bolt of silk.  With my artist background in sculpture and painting I learned how to dye. Every workshop I attended people wanted silk veils. For the next years the words came true. I was travelling with my teacher all over America and Europe, dancing and performing with him. People wanted the veils and the skirts so much I would often sell the skirts I danced in. I carried many veils in one huge bag and that afforded my travel all over the world.  My teacher had me demonstrate dancing with the silk veil and it challenged me to keep improving. Veil dance blossomed into a deep source of experience for me and gave my artistic expression full permission to explore, color, feel, experiment and move out of my limits. I also enjoyed the countless times watching everyone dance with the silk veils. Women, men, children, old, young, flexible, stiff, lawyers, dancers, physicists. Whomever they were, together, they created a moving impressionist painting of colors swirling around to the music, dancing into a state of happiness and freedom.

I dyed the silk in the summer, outside under the trees and travelled through the winter and spring. On trips to Asia I began to seek out silk dyers and companies. I glimpsed the age-old traditions of silk making. Silk creates communities of artists and craftspeople that pass down the skills from one generation to the next. These communities struggle with the new world of mass production and try to adapt while still respecting their traditions. I met a very old man whose whole life had been dedicated to silk. He was an artist steeped in a fascination for the silk and what could be created with it. Even though his culture was so different to mine our love of silk gave us a connection. He wore a beautiful outfit that looked like very elegant pajamas. They were made from silk that is dyed with natural dyes over 40 days making the color incredibly rich and long lasting. His outfit made so much sense to me. To be comfortable and to have your skin protected by such a soft smooth durable silk seemed to make far more sense than tight, artificial fabrics. All over the world small communities continue their unique traditions and skills. It is a dream of mine to explore more of these communities in the countries where the silk arts still exist.

My business Nahari Silks comes from a love of natural materials, natural things and even to move naturally and enjoy music and movement. These are things that keep us sane in an increasingly automated world.

There is a great sense of satisfaction that comes from knowing the silks I dye inspire people to move, to dance, to stay healthy and connect with music. The traditions of silk go back centuries and is connected with the finer elements in life, from art to music, to fashion that feels comfortable, soft and elegant. To keep the traditions of silk alive is keeping alive and supporting the unique skills of artisans from all over the world, who strive to create beautiful things.

I look forward to continuing Nahari Silks in an ever changing world with an ethical commitment to reducing any impact on the environment, to keeping faith with those who help us, to our business partners, and our very valued customers.