 My mom is a seriously talented artist. For as long as I can recall, she has encouraged me to indulge my creative disposition. I recognize that I owe so much of who I am and what I've accomplished to her encouragement & support. My dad also deserves to be credited here - for different reasons, but I'll honor him in a different post. It's been a dream of mine for quite some time to participate in an art show with my mom. Finally the opportunity has arrived! Join us on Friday, December 7th from 6 - 9 pm at Alpine Art & Frame for their Annual Honoring Utah Artists Exhibition. Our paintings are wildly different, but hanging my work next to my mom's is an honor, a privilege, and quite literally a dream come true for me. Check out my mom's work here: https://giseledasilvafineart.weebly.com/  Having the privilege to do what I love everyday fells like I won some kind of cosmic lottery. I feel a massive sense of responsibility to live my best life, and to do right by my opportunities. Why? Because wasting my time would be a super tragedy. As a daughter of Brazilian immigrants, I still remember vividly how much my parents sacrificed in order to give us (their kids) a better future. How could I take that for granted? Living here and now is a huge privilege, so I bust my ass everyday in order to make sure I aim to inspire before I expire. I created a habit a few years ago to take inventory of the past year in order to better understand my choices, and help me navigate the upcoming year. I do this by making 4 comprehensive lists: 1. Professional Accomplishments, 2. Personal Accomplishments, 3. Professional Projections (aka Goals), 4. Personal Projections (aka Goals). This year, I'm starting early! So here's to my mom & dad, and to all of us who are doing our best to create a better world today: #1 Studio Grand Opening  Join me & my incredible studio mates on Thursday, December 5 from 3 - 9 PM for our Workshop SLC Holiday Open House. I look forward to seeing you there!  Sometimes when you plant seeds, they all blossom at once! The past month has been full of opportunities to showcase my work and collaborate with talented creatives. Here are some of the highlights:  I am amazed at the progress this group made in only 2 short days. At times, I honestly felt like I was witnessing a chrysalis turn into a butterfly! Is this what a proud parent feels like?! A huge thanks to Workshop SLC for hosting our event.  I've taught multiple 8-week long classes before. But this one was my first in the USA!! Needless to say, it was pretty special. Not only am I grateful to do what I love, but I also feel super blessed to be able to teach Fearless Abstract Painting in my new home town. Thank you ever so much ladies, for giving me the opportunity to make new friends, enjoy a strong sense of community, and enjoy my Thursday nights like never before. May this tradition be the first of many more nights spent just like this.  Addition, subtraction, construction, and destruction are an inexorable part of life. I channel these forces into my creative process. The paintings in this series were made using locally sourced materials including: iron-rich Utah soil, salt from The Great Salt Lake, copper powder, plaster, recycled paint, and local newspapers.  Being an artist is typically not a team sport. So when we come together as an artist collective, I believe we have an extremely valuable opportunity to be inspired by others, exchange ideas, draw from each other's experiences, and enjoy the camaraderie of a supportive, like-minded community. A huge thanks to Kimball Art Center in Park City, UT for facilitating this awesome event.  Registered for a Fearless Abstract Painting workshop? Find the answers to 20 Frequently Asked Questions below: |
