We were lucky to catch up with Diane L Silver recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Diane L, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

My story begins with a childhood passion for painting, creating, and exploring ideas. I was brought up in both the Boston area and Miami, Florida with two very contrasting cultures. One with a strong Latin influence, warm vibrant colors and a diverse mix of people, while the other with a cooler palette and a strong sense of tradition and intellectualism. I believe that these two different environments have definitely influenced my work.
My life took a few twists and turns before becoming a full time artist, including going to law school and becoming an attorney as well as a single parent and a move to Phoenix, AZ.

A solo trip to Buenos Aires in the summer of 2011 inspired my shift from law to full time artist fulfilling my childhood desires. Finding myself removed from my normal environment, surroundings and language, I was forced to look inward to explore my own creative voice. I took with me a few basic materials such as pencils, pens and paper, and developed a new body of work that visually recorded the connection between solitude and creativity.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a mixed media painter and installation artist exploring themes of memory, solitude, and the natural world. My paintings reflect my feelings, dreams, memories and, sometimes, social concerns. My work is generally abstract using color, gestural marks, collage, and often words and script. I think of my paintings as captured moments in time.

One of my recent projects involved collecting memories and old black and white discarded photographs which I put together for an installation about preserving our fragile and ephemeral memories. These collected memories were paired with a compatible photograph and hung inside mason jars which were then suspended from the ceiling of the gallery. Some of my installations include motion activated voice recordings.

I have exhibited my work both locally and internationally and enjoy doing commissions. I am represented by Gebert Contemporary in Scottsdale, AZ.

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

As an artist, I think creating art is about creating connection. One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is when a painting or an installation really connects with someone. I love creating a dialogue with viewers about my art and the themes in it. It is always wonderful to see a piece of work go out into the world and find a cherished place in someone’s home or office.

I find that the time spent creating an artwork allows me to be very present in the moment and allows me to fully and honestly express myself. The acts of exploration and creation in my studio help me to find my unique voice which I hope will resonate with others.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal as an artist is to challenge myself to explore new ideas, techniques and forms of expression. I believe that it is important for an artist to evolve and through that evolution determine the best way to convey their unique perspective.

When I began my journey as an artist, I developed my visual language using layers of words and marks on paper using graphite and ink. As my art practice has continued to evolve, I have challenged myself to explore other techniques and forms of expression including cyanotypes on paper and fabric, mixed media artwork incorporating waxed scrolls of old book pages, an installation using mason jars, and now I am experimenting with video. My mission is to continue to explore a variety of media to best express my ideas.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dianelsilverartist.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/language_of_solitude
• Facebook: Diane Silver
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/diane-silver-78a39721