Joyita Ghose

Artist Statement

Joyita Ghose, Owner, Designer, Poshaq Silks - Bio

I describe myself as the Accidental Artist. Holding a brush, listening to the swish of the paints on silk,
was clearly an inner passion and a hobby, until the love for immersing oneself completely in the drama of artwork became paramount, and essential like a breath of fresh air. When you ask me how I come up with designs and my unusual color palette, I can only think that what I see and feel combine together to create each pattern and color story. It could be an architectural mural in Brighton station while waiting for a train, or even the unusual yellow red and burnt cheese hues in a pizza, or sometimes the amazing bark of a redwood tree. Anything can be an inspiration. In fact on artistic block days when the mind is a washed blank slate then the amazing cloud formations and the sun setting in those random yet artistically strewn clouds become an inspiration for the painting I do on silk. I create so you can wear it. I create functional wearable art. -------Joyita Ghose

Silk artist Joyita Ghose works out of her studio in Milpitas California. Her wearable art is a combination of
cultural traditions, inspired by folk art from India, Africa, South America, and the ever inspiring California landscape. Every blouse can be worn in a variety of ways and is multifunctional. She tried different kinds of media, till she discovered the art of silk painting in a fashion design program in Brighton College of Technology, UK. The unpredictable nature of silk, the dye, the weather and gutta resist relationships and the inability to control sometimes the dye or the steaming process was what fascinated her. Its an unforgiving art form and she found that in letting the dye flow, she had the most beautiful stories on silk. No one piece was ever the same and so each hand made painted silk is truly a unique piece painted for an individual person.

In a world of mass manufacturing and factory produced goods, Joyita wanted to retain this art form of creating
wearable artwork which is made especially for that one person who wears this piece of hand made art, and has
the assurance that she alone is the only owner of that original art.

The technique of silk painting is a manual process, where the silk is first stretched on stretcher bars. The tighter the silk, the easier it is to paint. Joyita paints with silver, gold, clear and black Gutta Resist, which has the texture of glue. It is squeezed out of a bottle to create fine lines. The resist stops dyes from flowing and creates definite patterns. Sometimes Joyita uses the resist to create patterns, sometimes she uses it as an accent and allows the dyes to flow into each other and create unusual color stories, which are always not replicable. Once the painting is done, it is allowed to dry naturally for 24 hours. Then it is rolled in newsprint paper and put in a professional grade steamer. 8-10 hours of hot steaming allows the dye to interact with the silk fabric and it becomes permanent. After steaming, the painted silk is washed to remove all excess dyes. It is then sewn into garments by master seamstresses, washed, ironed and shipped to stores.

Joyita is a self taught artist. She learnt by recreating what she saw in books, cards, nature while growing up in
India. Her school friends remember her drawing on every page of her books, constantly doodling and recreating
what she saw and what she was inspired with. Her grandmother Mata however opened her vision to see art in nature, in a twig, in a leaf, in a simple pressed flower. Mata collected pictures, artwork and used it in her sewing and paintings. Joyita saw an artist at work first hand while growing up round Mata.
In America she attended West Valley College, Saratoga to learn Apparel Design and Merchandising. From here
was a gateway to a fascinating exchange program with Brighton College of Technology, UK. She also has a degree in Graphic Arts and Visual Merchandising from UCSC extension, CA.

Trade Shows she does or has done previously
Smithsonian Craft week 2024
One of a Kind - 2024
ACC- 2025
The Edge - 2021-2023
WINN, Las Vegas, 2018-2020
FNMC, San Mateo, 2018-2019
American Made, Philadelphia, Washington DC 2013-2020
NYNOW, NY, 2016 - 2025
MAGIK, Las Vegas, 2016
Harvest Festivals, CA.
Contemporary Craft Market, SFO, Santa Monica 2009-2015
Pacific Fine Arts shows California 2007-present

Stores that keep Poshaq Silks
De Young Museum, San Francisco, Asian Art Museum, SFO, CA
The Getty Museum
Museum of Contemporary art, Chicago
Uno Alla Volta catalog, Two Moons Gallery, La Conner, WA
Mendocino Art Gallery, CA, Heart of the Home, New Hope, PA
Bellagio Art To Wear, Asheville Artisans Gallery, Gaithersburg, MD
Pura Vida Art Gallery AZ Calista, Honolulu, HI
Best of Both Worlds, USVI, Appalachian Springs, Rockville, MD
Toni Plus, Ontario Canada Unique Expressions, Grand Junction, CO
Etania Gems, Cave Creek, AZ, Lindsay Arts Gallery, Benicia, CA and many more