We recently connected with Amber Desilva and have shared our conversation below.

Amber, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I grew up in an artistic household. My mother was an artist. I loved watercolor and practiced it in my teens and early 20’s… Art was always there. I had forgotten, but a friend reminded me that when I was 19 and living in Paris, I would take my pencils and watercolors out on the Sundays and practice in parks. I got sidetracked having 4 daughters, and spent many years being a mom. I would occasionally practice with other artists such as Jennifer Perlmutter, just to keep creating. In 2020, I began to make collage cards. We were all in quarantine so it made sense. I remembered that I loved it. I deliberately avoided school or too many YouTube videos so that I could find my own voice. I tried collage, acrylic, inks, drawing, mixed media and eventually oils. After my mother passed in 2021, out of desperation really, and a subconscious urge to process her death, I began practicing daily and really focused on growing as an artist. I taught myself everything I could.About a year ago, I began working with Scott Waddell in portrait art and he has helped my craft so much. I would not change anything about my pace or how I learned. It really worked for me. I was able to first just express and grow how I wanted and then – when I had a stronger sense of my art – fine tune it with Scott and the occasional video. Most essential in all of this did not have to do with the craft itself, but my ability to show up consistently and not be too hard on myself. It has allowed me to soften towards myself. Mistakes happen and you learn from them.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am an artist living in Orinda, California. I was always an artist, but sometimes, over the years it would leave and then it would come back when I needed it. I had 4 daughters so that kept me quite busy for many years. I loved painting watercolor in high school and when I wasn’t doing that, I acted, I traveled, I drew… I see the world through an artists eye, always looking for beauty, magic, and the bittersweet in between. Over the years when I was mothering small children, I would reach out to other fellow artists for a painting session or a talk but I just didn’t have time for much practice. As my daughters got older, I knew I would need something to pour my love into as they all went off to college, so in 2020, during quarantine I began making collage cards. I found it to be such a wonderful meditation, a refuge, and it engaged a part of my brain and soul that had been sleeping. One that I didn’t know I missed. I tend to be someone who can move from this interest to that, but I found that with art, it was becoming a regular activity for me. In 2021, my mother who was also an artist, passed away. Out of desperation and an urge to process her passing I really leaned into my art, trying everything from watercolor to acrylic to inks to mixed media to oils… I avoided too much training intentionally. Knowing myself, I knew I would become intimidated and quit. It became a daily practice for me and me alone… I allowed myself to have a conversation with my craft- looking for the canvas to direct me as much as I directed it. I would work from dreams, visions, songs I heard, books I read… Eventually I began selling my work to friends and family. I entered one of my pieces “Free Fall’ into the 2023 DeYoung Open and it was accepted! This was so amazing! I reached out to the local chamber of commerce and was accepted into the Lafayette Art and Wine Festival in 2023. I joined again this year. A little over a year ago, I made a website and through a series of small but consistent steps I find that I have made a business for myself and it is one that can only keep growing and I am so incredible grateful for it. I also began working with Scott Waddell on portrait art and am loving it! I really want to create symbolic, meaningful, human (by that I mean work that connects to the heart of the viewer) art. I’m drawn to the surreal so I bring that to my work when I can.
There were times in my life I was so far away from myself, from my art.. Those were very hard years. But now, by allowing myself to play, to follow what makes time fly and my heart happy, and by not quitting on myself, I feel like I’m home. Like it’s always been here, waiting for me to find it again. It has changed me and at the same time, brought me back to myself.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the reward is the quiet mind. The flow state I can get into. I get to translate what is in my soul, what is in my heart onto canvas. I get to paint beautiful images. I have somewhere to pour my love into. It has taught me a sense of equanimity in that some days are awful painting days, but staying committed to the practice has shown me that some days are amazing painting days too! I get to carry on my mothers legacy as an artist, and hopefully I can inspire others to make time for what makes them happy.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I began on TikTok. My daughter had suggested I post one of my collage cards and keep posting as a way of keeping a portfolio. This was back when TikTok was more community oriented – it showed more artist work and just more people making videos to connect. I began creating a wonderful community that supported me and frankly kept me going when I questioned what I was doing. When TikTok started monetizing more and became a selling platform really, the environment changed and I eventually left with 18,000 followers. Some followed me to instagram but a lot did not, and it was hard to lose them. Social media can be a great tool, But it can be quite toxic as well and it’s easy to rely on interaction for validation.
If you’re just starting, post! Post as much as you want, but consider ‘posting and ghosting” especially if you’re a sensitive soul like myself. Hold on to it loosely. The real magic is in what you’re creating and getting your work out into the community, shows, etc…

Contact Info:

• Website: https://amberdesilvaart.com
• Instagram: amberdesilvaart