Jean Buck

I was introduced to Silk Painting by Mandy Southan (founder of the Guild of Silk painters in the UK), who taught art at Sussex College. At that time I was a member of the Hastings Art Group – painting in watercolour and brush pen. On seeing Mandy’s work on silk I became hooked to learn more. It was early 1990s and Mandy had aroused great interest and set up a UK Guild which over the years has gone worldwide and produces an International Journal. When I moved to the Isle of Man in 1994 I kept in contact with Mandy.

I joined the Mannin Art Group on the island and introduced them to Silk Painting demonstrating annually. A number of members like me became hooked! I then set up a Guild on the Island and in 2013 the UK Guild approached me to take on their 20th Anniversary Festival. Mary Gulland (silk banner painter) introduced us to a ribbon design for town banners that we produced on silk to be hung at the Festival and then onto the Manx Museum and House of Manannan for the 2014 Year of Culture - becoming IOM postage stamps that year.

I run a workshop group monthly and we have a website: www.silkguildiom.com showing our current programme. I do a quarterly IOM report to the International Journal. See attached front cover Winter 2023 ECO dyeing on silk. www.silkpainters-guild.co.uk