Marushka Handprints

Stencils were first used to decorate Egyptian tombs and in Rome were used to create signs for the sale of camels. In the mid-nineteenth century the Japanese screen-printing method was imported to the United States. This method, using modern materials, is basically how Marüshka prints today.

First a stencil is applied to polyester mesh fabric stretched over a rigid frame. Ink is then pushed by hand through the open areas of the stencil with a squeegee onto the fabric. A different screen is used for each color and then oven-cured making the colors washable.