Silk painting is a unique art form falling into the 'slow dyeing' category. Slow dyeing is any method of textile dyeing that is not mass-produced and usually involves the creation, dyeing and sewing of textiles entirely, or primarily by hand. Traditional silk painting is performed by suspending silk on a frame and applying dye to the surface. The dyes flow freely on the silk, creating a unique effect each time. No design can be exactly replicated. A wide variety of effects can be achieved by adding salt, water, alcohol and other mediums to the painting process.

The Serti method of silk painting utilises a liquid rubber resist known as gutta, applying it to the fabric as an outline to be 'coloured in.' Once properly set, the gutta fills the silk fibres, providing a barrier that the dye cannot pass through. This allows the artist to create elaborate fine art designs.

Ness discovered silk painting at seven years of age and, due to its rarity, has been self-taught ever since. She is passionate about preserving the art form in Australia. While unusual, it has a great deal to offer, both for personal creativity and cultural enrichment.

Ness is experienced in other slow dyeing traditions including batik, shibori and eco-printing, many of which she has adapted to her silk painting knowledge base, 'hybridising' multiple traditions for innovative new effects. Her original textile designs can be purchased through Etsy and are subject to availability; each work is a one-of-a-kind that takes many hours of hands-on activity and is impossible to reproduce exactly. Digitisations of her work are available to be custom-printed on a variety of fabrics and accessories through Redbubble.