The creation of textile appliqué paintings is rare in the visual arts. Elisabeth Levelt, (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) composes her paintings entirely from silk without any additional materials, which allows her to evoke powerful color and form effects.

The technique invites both figurative and non-figurative applications. The transparency of silk allows for infinite variation in shades of color, even over quite small surfaces. In addition, the artist can use the shot-colored character of the silk (which is due to differently tinged warp and weft) to evoke dynamic color changes, depending on the observer's viewpoint.

Elisabeth exploits these and other material affordances exclusively in the service of the artistic purpose, the forceful expression of the image. The figurative work shows a subtle mix of drama and humor, with themes such as the Commedia dell'arte, Don Quixote, human characters and animals to contemplate.