SoLace Studios in Elkton specializes in rare “marbled” fabric and leather
In 1922, a devastating fire took out much of the downtown area of the eastern Rockingham County, Virginia town of Elkton. One of the buildings to rise from the ashes was owned by two prominent, local doctors, Miller and Kite. They saw patients upstairs and opened a pharmacy and shop downstairs, where it is said that patients would often linger at the soda fountain while their prescriptions were being filled.
The building still stands near a point where two main streets come together to form a triangular point at the center of town. It is now the home of SoLace Studios, where the relatively rare art of marbled fabric and leather created there attracts people from all over. Marbling artist and shop owner Barb Polin shows off two large maps where shop visitors have added dots to show where they are from. One map covers the U.S., the other is a well-dotted world map.
Hand-marbled items include men's and women's clothing, and other items such as neckties and suspenders. A variety of hand-marbled silk fabric is also sold by the yard. Leather accessories include wallets, business card cases, checkbook covers, travel accessories and handbags.
Polin says that he marbling technique was refined in Europe during the 12th century. Although it has traditionally been done on paper, Polin began experimenting with it on silk and about seven or eight years ago she started experimenting at marbling on leather. What resulted is a unique process. There's only about two or three other marblers in the U.S. that have been successful at marbling on leather. “So you won't find marbled leather just anywhere,” she explains. “And if you find it, there's a good chance that it's some of my work.”
The marbling technique is performed by floating ink on the surface of a thickened, gel-like mixture. A pattern is created by running a comb-like tool through the ink. A print can then be created when fabric is laid on top of the inked surface for just a few seconds, then removed.
While the beautiful marbled items attract visitors, the shop itself is a favorite among tourists, particularly visitors to nearby Massanutten Resort. There are two entrances on either side of the trapezoid-shaped building. Inside there is a beautifully-restored tin ceiling, as well as a few furnishings that date back to when the shop was a 1920s pharmacy. It's all a perfect setting for Polin's selection fine handcrafts, many of which she says are not found in any of the other gift stores or galleries in the area.
The actual marbling operation is done in the basement of her home, due to the space required and the fact that it is a very messy process. “It consists of, I call it, 'slime,' but it's got the consistency of un-gelled gelatin,” says Polin, “And ink. And my marbling tray is four feet by eight feet. So it's pretty big. And then I require a lot of water to rinse.”
The marbling process is a day long operation that can only begin after a several days of preparation. After the marbled fabric is ready, she sews the hand-made garments there at her home, and is also assisted by some local seamstresses who form a local cottage industry.
Polin says that, even though the art of marbling has been around for centuries, much of her technique evolved through trial-and-error. Other than a few two-hour workshops, she has had no formal training. She says that only in the last 20 years have marblers written books about the technique. Until that time, the old masters tended to be secretive about their skills.
Polin's passion for her art and for her lovely shop in downtown Elkton is very evident. The floor space is relatively small, and it's obvious that every single item on display is chosen with care and thoughtfulness. “I kind of feel like I'm in the center of the world here,” she says.
SoLace Studios is online at www.solaceinc.com. Information about Massanutten Resort is available at MassResort.com. Travel information about Rockingham County is available at harrisonburgtourism.com. Barb Polin is a July 9, 2010 guest on the Shenandoah Valley Radio Program.
Hand-marbled items include men's and women's clothing, and other items such as neckties and suspenders. A variety of hand-marbled silk fabric is also sold by the yard. Leather accessories include wallets, business card cases, checkbook covers, travel accessories and handbags. 
The actual marbling operation is done in the basement of her home, due to the space required and the fact that it is a very messy process. “It consists of, I call it, 'slime,' but it's got the consistency of un-gelled gelatin,” says Polin, “And ink. And my marbling tray is four feet by eight feet. So it's pretty big. And then I require a lot of water to rinse.”
Polin's passion for her art and for her lovely shop in downtown Elkton is very evident. The floor space is relatively small, and it's obvious that every single item on display is chosen with care and thoughtfulness. “I kind of feel like I'm in the center of the world here,” she says.