Forest Qing Zhang began paving the 21’st Century Silk Art Road in 2002, when Forest and his family immigrated to Canada from Suzhou, China.

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, California, US.

Silk Art is now growing in popularity worldwide. We introduced Silk Art to Japan in 2007, to the UK in 2008, to the Middle East in 2009 and to Australia in 2011.

The post 87154 first appeared on silkart.

There are many hypotheses regarding history of the domestication of the horse. Horses first appeared in Paleolithic cave art around 30,000 BC. These were wild horses that were hunted for their meat. However, it is disputed exactly how and when the horse first became domesticated.

马的精神，是忠诚，是高贵，是奔驰，是不可征服。马的神韵，则是马在与人类同生死、共荣辱的历史中所表现出来的一种奉献美的史诗。纵观历史。马，从远古的沙场尘烟中驰骋而来，雄浑、高昂、豪迈。几千年来，马用自己的力量和赤诚经历了血与火的洗礼，随人类的发展流动为一种精神，成就了源远流长的神韵。马，是保家卫国、惩恶扬善、匡扶正义的英雄征战疆场、驰骋翱翔的翅膀。从人类的发展中去追溯马的精神，更能感受到马是人类最亲密、最友善的朋友的真正含义。

The post 74075 White tigers first appeared on silkart.

“Peacock symbolism: Vision, Self Expression, Spirituality, Awakening, Integrity, Freedom, Guidance, Protection, & Watchfulness. In Greco-Roman mythology the Peacock tail has the “eyes” of the stars. … The Peacock represents resurrection, renewal and immortality within the spiritual teachings of Christianity.

“孔雀是百鸟之王，是吉祥鸟，从古到今，孔雀在艺术、传说、文学和宗教上久负盛名，孔雀是最善良、最聪明、最爱自由与和平的鸟，是吉祥幸福的象征，孔雀也可看为是绶带鸟，绶与寿谐音，表示长寿之意。”

The post 71009 Peacock first appeared on silkart.

1. Artistic Talent – The individual skills and development
Professional Silk Art artists go through a lengthy learning process to develop theirskills and talent. The very first lessons begin on grandma’s knee. For Silk Art families, teaching our children about the family legacy is a centuries old tradition.For those with talent and an interest, formal training starts in their late teens.

Artists must spend ten years as a student and another eight years as a teacher in order to meet the time requirement to be a Master Silk Artist. After five years as a Master Silk Artist, an artist may apply to become a Grand Master Silk Artist. These are general guidelines. Time alone does not necessarily make you a Master or Grand Master. Talent and skill must be demonstrated as well.

The post 77359 The tree first appeared on silkart.

1. Artistic Talent – The individual skills and development
Professional Silk Art artists go through a lengthy learning process to develop their skills and talent. The very first lessons begin on grandma’s knee. For Silk Art families, teaching our children about the family legacy is a centuries old tradition. For those with talent and an interest, formal training starts in their late teens.

Artists must spend ten years as a student and another eight years as a teacher in order to meet the time requirement to be a Master Silk Artist. After five years as a Master Silk Artist, an artist may apply to become a Grand Master Silk Artist. These are general guidelines. Time alone does not necessarily make you a Master or Grand Master. Talent and skill must be demonstrated as well.

The post 87170 Palm Trees first appeared on silkart.

The Secret Meaning of the Lotus Flower
Nothing is more spiritual than the lotus—it experiences immaculate conception every single day.
At first glance, one might not think much of the lotus flower. The plant’s symmetry and colors are striking, sure, but beneath the lotus’s delicate exterior lies a deeper meaning nearly as old as time. The flower holds great symbolic weight in many Eastern cultures and is considered one of the most sacred plants in the world. So, what is it about this specific bloom that makes it oh so special?
To start, the lotus has a life cycle unlike any other plant. With its roots latched in mud, it submerges every night into river water and miraculously re-blooms the next morning, sparklingly clean. In many cultures, this process associates the flower with rebirth and spiritual enlightenment. With its daily process of life, death, and reemergence, its no wonder that the lotus holds such symbolism.
Because of these meanings, the lotus is often seen alongside divine figures in some cultures. For the Egyptians, the flower represents the universe. In Hindu culture, it is said that gods and goddesses sat on lotus thrones. And a longstanding Buddhist story states that the Buddha appeared atop a floating lotus, and his first footsteps on Earth left lotus blossoms
As divine as the Gods, the flower of rebirth was thought to contain magical properties as well. The ancient Egyptians believed lotuses had the ability to resurrect the deceased, as seen in Book of the Dead transformation spells.

The post 76113 Lotus Flower Group 3 first appeared on silkart.

Backgrounds are different
One very easy way to spot the difference between a handmade Silk Art and machine-made embroidery is to look at the back of the canvas. The back of handmade Silk Art is irregular and loose. You can see and feel the knots. Each piece of thread is no more than two feet long and so there are knots when a new piece is started or when the artist changes colors. The stitching at the back of machine-made embroidery is very tight and neat, every stitch is perfectly identical to the next. There are no knots on back of machine-made embroidery, because they don’t need to change thread. Machine thread is very long; each spool is a few miles long.

The post 76121 Peonies and Sparrow first appeared on silkart.

Forest Qing Zhang began paving the 21’st Century Silk Art Road in 2002, when Forest and his family immigrated to Canada from Suzhou, China.

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, California, US.

Silk Art is now growing in popularity worldwide. We introduced Silk Art to Japan in 2007, to the UK in 2008, to the Middle East in 2009 and to Australia in 2011.

The post 76122 Peonies and Sparrow first appeared on silkart.

The Lotus Flower grows in the deep mud, far away from the sun. But, sooner or later, the Lotus reaches the light becoming the most beautiful flower ever.
The Lotus flower is regarded in many different cultures, especially in eastern religions, as a symbol of purity, enlightenment, self-regeneration and rebirth. Its characteristics are a perfect analogy for the human condition: even when its roots are in the dirtiest waters, the Lotus produces the most beautiful flower.
二、象征
1、清廉：在古代诗歌里，荷花一直是象征坚韧不屈，洁身自好的高贵品质，有”出污泥而不染，濯清涟而不妖”的句子，意思就是说荷花从淤泥里生长起来却没有淤泥的污秽，从清水里长出来却一点也不妖艳，这就象征着清官，赞颂他们两袖清风，为民服务。荷花别名“青莲”， “青莲”与“清廉”同音，所以在看望官员时，携带一束荷花就是表达了对他们崇高的尊敬之情。
2、友情深厚：中国一直有以花赠友的习俗，梅花多是送给傲骨清风的君子，芍药花多是给知己的，而荷花，可以送给感情比较深厚的朋友，它可以象征着人们之间浓厚的友情。
3、圣洁：荷花是佛门佛祖与菩萨的坐台，对于信佛教的人来说，这代表着圣洁，并且他们极力宣传荷花从淤泥里生长出来，身上却没有一点污浊的这种清白、高尚的精神，并以这种精神为人生信条。所以，荷花它还象征着圣洁。

The post 76111 Lotus Flower Group 1 first appeared on silkart.

The home of the House of Zhang and the birthplace of Silk Art is a city called Suzhou, located in the deltas of the Yangtze River in Southeastern China, about 60 miles west of Shanghai.

Suzhou has a history of more than 2,500 years, dating back to the late Shang Dynasty. Marco Polo called Suzhou “The Venice of the East“. An old Chinese saying calls Suzhou a “Paradise on the Earth“. Centuries of tourists have praised the beauty of Suzhou’s nature, classical gardens, bridges, waters, traditional operas, and the soft tone of the dialect. Suzhou is still a favorite tourist destination with a rich history and a fascinating present.

Over the years, Suzhou has evolved into a modern industrial city. With a total area of nearly 8500 square miles and a population of just over 6 million, Suzhou is a major manufacturing, technology, investment and exporting base in China.

The post 76093 Pointy Tip Magnolia first appeared on silkart.