Our Story

 

Where is Silk Art from?

Silk production in China began over 2500 years ago. Chinese museums display remnants of ancient silk embroidery artwork dating back between three and four thousand years. The origins of Silk Art date back more 2500 years. The collective of trade routes that eventually became known as The Silk Road, did not export silk out of China until a generation after Silk Art's birth.  

The story of Silk Art  and Suzhou begins with the beginning of imperial China. More than two millennia ago, the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, designated 11 families as his official royal embroiderers. The Emperor placed theose families in a serene water village called Suzhou, about 60 miles west of Shanghai, China. One of these families was the Zhang family, our ancestors.

Until the end of imperial China, this silk artwork was only available to the aristocracy of China. Even today it is little seen outside of China. Many of the 11 families are still in Suzhou today creating Silk Art. Forest Qing Zhang, the President of King Silk Art and his sister Mei Zhang, who manages the House of Zhang in Suzhou, are proud descendants of this treasured legacy. Suzhou became an important stop on the Silk Road and evolved into a large and prosperous city. Today, Silk Art  is one of the most renowned traditional folk arts in China. King Silk Art is a completely holistic family business. The House of Zhang in Suzhou is managed by the elder sister Mei Zhang. The House of Zhang cultivates silk worms, produces silk thread, dyes the thread and weaves each canvas. Our skilled and talented artists use these proprietary raw materials to stitch handmade Silk Art . King Silk Art’s mission is to build the 21st Century Silk Road, making our beautiful Silk Art  as well known in the rest of world as it is in China.

Forest Qing Zhang began paving Silk Art's 21st Century Silk Road in 2002, when Forest, his wife Emily and their daughter Nancy immigrated to Canada from Suzhou. In 2004, King Silk Art evolved out of Silk Art's growing local popularity. Our success in Canada brought us to a new location in 2006, our current home, Irvine, California. Silk Art is now growing in popularity worldwide. We introduced Silk Art to Japan in 2007, the UK in 2008, the Middle East in 2009 and Australia in 2011. To ensure the complete satisfaction of our collectors, we only sell at special events. We feel it is important to see your Silk Art in person when you are collecting.
		Forest Qing Zhang paving the 21st Century Silk Road.

 

 

Suzhou Silk Art creation process		Forest introduces Silk Art to the UK in 2008

 

21st Century Silk Road hits the US in 2006		Silk Art in Australia, 2011.

 

How is Silk Art made?

Silk Art is often described as "Paints with Silk Thread and Needle", but compared to Silk Art, the process of painting is fairly simple . . . a brush, paint, and a canvas. The nature of the silk itself adds complexity to the process of creating Silk Art. In addition to the variety of stitches that need to be mastered and combined, the silk thread itself must be separated and the number of layers of stitches must be determined and applied.

The silk embroidery process begins with tightly stretching a canvas over a wooden frame. The design is then roughly outlined, directly on the canvas. At that point, the artist begins stitching the most intricate parts of the pattern with tiny needles and colorful silk threads, bringing the image to life.

Each strand of silk fiber can be divided in up to 16 individual threads. 1/16 of a strand of silk thread is finer than a human hair. The thinner the thread, the finer the art work. The artist then builds layers of threads of varying colors and thicknesses to create dimension, shadows, and highlights. A small piece of Silk Embroidery Art takes one artist a few days to complete, a masterpiece may take several artists a few years to bring to the final stage. This array of techniques and materials come together to create unique and multi-faceted works of art. 

  

Step 1: Draw the outline, Free hand  (click here see video)		John Dailey tells the silk art creation process
Step 2: Bring the image to life (click here see video)		Step 3 - The Hand Stitching Process

  

 

 

1. Simple outline, drawn free hand		2. Bring the image to life with silk		3. Framed artwork

 

Who make Silk Art?                                                                                                       

King Silk Art is a completely holistic family business.  The House of Zhang in Suzhou, is managed by Mei Zhang.  The House of Zhang cultivates silk worms, produces silk thread, dyes the thread and weaves each canvas. Our skilled and talented artists use these proprietary raw materials to create handmade Silk Art. 

Once the Silk Art is perfect, King Silk Art takes over.  Qing Zhang, Mei’s brother and President of King Silk Art, travels the 21st Century Silk Road, paving the way for our Silk Art.  Like two members of the same family, The House of Zhang and King Silk Art are separate entities, but forever intertwined.

King Silk Art is now based in Southern California.  We are proud of our new aesthetic, where we create both this ancient form of art, and add a touch of modern thought into some of the original designs. We believe that with our continuous efforts, this ancient art will never become extinct and will evolve with time. 

In 2004, when we first introduced our handmade Silk Art in Canada, we were thrilled by the response. As the years have passed and we've visited new countries and continents, we continue to be delighted by the universal admiration for the tradition that is so dear to us. In the future, we hope that more and more people will have a chance to appreciate the beauty of this ancient fine art. 

King Silk Art’s mission is to build the 21st Century Silk Road, making our beautiful Silk Art, as well known in the rest of world, as it is in China.

 

Honors and Awards                                                                                     

Numerous awards beginning from 2002, the introduction of Susho™ to North America

Philadelphia International Flower Show – First Place, Botanical Art, Large Booth, 2011

Los Angeles County Fair - Fair's Finest Exhibits, 2007

San Diego County Fair - Most Eye Catching & Most Popular New Vendor 2007