 Celestial Grounding (2026)
60” x 72” | Mixed media on canvas There are moments when heaven and earth feel perfectly aligned — when the body rests in deep surrender and the painting above holds both sky and soil. This piece was created in that same spirit: layers of iron-rich Utah dirt, plaster, and luminous gold pigment, baked under the desert sun until the surface cracked open with light. A visual reminder that true grounding often comes from allowing ourselves to be held between the celestial and the earthly. In stillness, we remember.  These paintings are offerings — born from deep time in the studio and a desire to share beauty, grounding, and quiet transformation with you.
Earthy yet luminous, each piece carries the memory of place: layered with iron-rich Utah dirt, salt, plaster, and gold pigment, then baked under the desert sun. They speak of rupture and renewal, pressure and radiance, the ongoing alchemy of becoming. I hope they resonate with you.  Using layers of Salt Lake newspaper—the discarded daily narratives of this place—I overwrite with personal affirmations of belonging. This continues my exploration of migration, home, and giving agency to materials after years of movement from Brazil to Utah.
 So grateful to see these works living in such a beautiful home, thoughtfully installed by Gallery MAR.
It’s a quiet reminder that sustaining a creative life requires more than just making art; it also means being surrounded by people who truly value and invest in creativity. Thank you to these wonderful collectors for trusting me with their walls.  A delightful visit to the University of Utah’s new HELIX Building with Gallery MAR owner Maren Mullein.
So excited to finally see my work installed in this beautiful space. Deeply grateful to the University of Utah, the Public Art Division of Utah Arts & Museums, and everyone involved for including my pieces in this meaningful project.  Every artist knows the blank canvas isn’t truly blank. It’s alive with possibility, vulnerability, and the quiet fear of letdowns.
In my studio, every new piece begins the same way: I write mantras across the canvas first: setting intention, tone, and heart into the surface. Later layers of texture and paint will slowly bury the words, but I believe their energy remains. Felt. Carried. Shared between us.  A Morning Poem
How can life speak to you in a way you will truly hear? Is it through the shifting clouds? The morning song of birds? The quiet trickle of water? A sudden sunbeam warming your skin? The empty center of a pot that still holds everything? The deep peace that arrives when you finally stop? Follow your soul’s quiet yearning. It is right. It is true. Listen. Feel. There is no denying this. This is real. You don’t have much time left. May 4th, 2026 Santa Fe, NM A heartfelt thank you to Maren and Gallery MAR for creating such a special container for connection, inspiration, and genuine conversation — and to the artists who so graciously welcomed us into their lives and studios: Georgia O’Keeffe, Siri Hollander, Maura Allen, Michael Kessler, and Jamie Burnes.  Took a finished painting to a shooting range on the Great Salt Lake and used it as target practice.
When in Utah.  Before I touch a painting with color, I pick up a paint roller and write the intentions across the raw canvas.
For example: “Let’s be friends. I love you.”  Eyes closed again!
Fresh work delivered to Gallery MAR. https://www.gallerymar.com/artists/samantha-da-silva Some things never change. |