Exploring a new dimension of textile art with Hefferlin and Akhriev
Fine artists Melissa Hefferlin and Daud Akhriev are taking their talents to another dimension with the introduction of Serithea silk scarves. But it’s not simply transferring their amazing visual art into textiles, it’s sometimes creating a whole new medium.
The couple spends their time between Chattanooga and a quaint pueblo blanco, also known as a historic white washed village, in the Spanish hills between Ronda and Seville. Nearby in Granada, lies the Alhambra castle, which began construction by the Sultan Nashid Dynasty in 1232.
Considered by some to be the eighth wonder of the world, the palace’s decorative, complex geometric tile dadoes (lower wall panels distinct from the area above) and carved stucco panels are truly a sight to behold.
“The walls in the Alhambra palace reveal themselves not to be beautifully painted tiles, but mosaics from minuscule bits of hand-tooled, glazed ceramics,” explains Hefferlin. It’s where she got the inspiration for at least one of her scarves.
It’s another older type of textile Hefferlin uses in creating images ultimately intended for her silk scarves. “I just get an old battleship grey piece of linoleum,” she says. “Warm it with an iron and take about eight tools, mine trowels really and cut and dig out the character in the vinyl.”
It takes about a week to cut and craft the images she intends to scan for the scarves. “I then roll ink on what is sticking up,” she explains. “Take a piece of paper and lay it over the linoleum.” She then evenly rolls the paper over the piece then peels back the print.
“Alhambra Lemons” encapsulates the geometric mosaics found all around the castle in a sort of still life setting.
Akhriev’s “Caucasian Dances” continues some of the geometric themes of Hefferlin’s work, with an almost art nouveau rolling waves pattern repeating itself. “My people come from the Caucasus Mountains (of Russia), where the women’s dances are elegant and subtle, featuring expressive movement mostly in the hands, arms and feet,” says Akhriev. “There is a sensation of the dancer floating.”
Hefferlin first fell in love with scarves when her grandma used to give them to her as gifts. Then, the couple’s cousins in Switzerland wanted them to design their curtains. “We couldn’t find a supplier at that time,” says Hefferlin. Finally, earlier this year after developing prototypes, their work began to take shape. “We wanted to do it right. We didn’t know what to expect.”
It wasn’t until the scarves arrived in the mail that their work came to fruition. She describes it as a spiritual experience. “It felt like 15 Christmases all at once,” exclaims Hefferlin. “This has been a real labor of love, realizing a dream to create wearable art.”
Even though the scarves are made in a factory, they retain a handmade-like quality. But making the transition from fine art to silk scarves and marketing them wasn’t always easy, especially when it came to setting up their website.“Fine art is different than graphic design,” explains Hefferlin. “Logos, colors and format don’t apply in our world. Plus we had to launch a website since men don’t like to shop.”
What could have been a grueling endeavor and did involve a massive learning curve was made easy by Chattanooga’s Three Twelve Creative, who launched the site just weeks ago.
The team decided on the name Serithea for the scarfs. In Greek, Seri means silk and thea means goddess. “Scarves are a big part of fashion on this side of the Atlantic,” says Hefferlin when I spoke with her from Spain. “You can take simple jeans and sandals, and a scarf adds emotion. Don’t get me wrong, though. I’ve seen some fashionistas in Chattanooga as well.”
Lovers of rugs, scarves and textiles of all kinds, Akhriev’s family mourned their beloved heirlooms lost in the wars after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Hefferlin’s descendants include architects, quilters, and seamstresses. It was these women who lovingly passed down earrings, a Hermes scarf, and a fine pair of brogues—a strong outdoor shoe with ornamental perforated patterns in the leather.
The couple still consider themselves fine artists but wanted, like their ancestors, to create a tangible heirloom to be cherished for generations to come.
“Silk is such a wonderful and sensuous fabric perfect to be worn against the skin,” says Hefferlin. “We hope that your life and the lives of those you love are enriched by Serithea’s offerings.”