Jan Carson received her MFA in Fibers from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. Her thesis exhibition of gigantic butterfly costumes (made from silk velvet) counter-balanced the immense beauty of the natural world against the limitations of a single individual's ability to perceive it. The mobiles are a continuation of her exploration of nature's beauty, its simultaneous strength and fragility, and tenuous, graceful interconnection.

Moon-Lily Silk Mobiles began in 1999 as a simple exercise in ingenuity and quickly grew into a small wholesale business. Initially made from artificial flowers, the mobiles progressed into original designs cut from lightly starched silk. Although the production line has current priority, one of a kind kinetic pieces by Jan are planned for the future.

The Mobiles:
More than stylized representations of leaves and trees, these mobiles are an expression of the beauty, balance, and interconnection within nature. The delicacy of the lightly starched silk is the mobile's most attractive yet vulnerable aspect. Each is created entirely by hand.

All featured mobiles are copyrighted by Jan Carson.

The Process:
These mobiles undergo a variety of creative stages. Many of the colors are hand-dyed in small vats. First, beautiful silk is lightly starched to create a paper-like textile, from which leaves are cut. Depending on the design, the mobile skeleton is made from stainless steel spring wire before the leaves are attached. The mobile is then assembled with the artist's signature wrapped connection. This method of linking the mobile's elements together allows the artist to control its entire balance before soldering the connections into place.

Care:
Because spring wire has a memory, the mobiles can be stored and shipped in a coil shape. The paper-like silk is delicate, and should be protected from moisture and pressure, as it can become creased. Clean with canned air or a soft artist's brush. If damage occurs, a warm iron can be used to press out minor flaws. The dyes used have a high rating of UV resistance, however (as with all textiles), exposure to intense direct sunlight for any length of time is discouraged.