Zurina Z Ariffin

Artist Biography:
Malaysian born, I trained in fashion design and my boutique attracted an International clientele. I became fascinated with computers and went on to a successful career as a Graphic Artist in advertising and broadcasting. My art returned to its roots when I studied the age old craft of Batik at the National Craft Complex in Kuala Lumpur. Batik techniques, along with silk screening, stenciling and painting, are ways to add color and design on fabrics using dyes. Batik uses a resist material such as molten wax or gutta to control which portions of the fabric will accept the dyes. Batik is usually done on silk but many other fabrics can be used. Batik can be used for clothing such as sarongs, dresses, shirts, ties & scarves as well as interior decorations including tablecloths, placemats, curtains and even framed artwork. The Batik technique use employs a tjanting (chanting) tool consisting of a copper reservoir with a small spout attached to a wooden handle. This is used to apply the resist pattern on the fabric. By painting on the dyes, I am able to grade the colors to create a range of shades for more intricate and detailed designs within the outlines of the resist.I have fallen in love with the art of Batik which provides me with a beautiful way to express my creativity. I hope to be able to expose others in the community to this ancient craft by giving classes in the future.