We were lucky to catch up with Rachel Silva recently and have shared our conversation below.

Rachel, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

That’s a great question! I think for me, I’ve always been the type of person that believes that everything happens at the exact time you need it to, even with hardships. This gives us the growth and the lessons we need to constantly evolve into our path. For me, being a self-taught artist, I began this journey a little over 4 years ago because I was going through a huge personal struggle with dealing with the loss of my mother. Finding my escape into this creative path has led me to discovering an overwhelming passion to create. I am still learning the aspects of having a creative career but this will always be for me first and foremost. When people love my work, it brings me such joy to know that others see value in something that I made! I think it’s happening exactly at the right time in my life.

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?

Sure! My name is Rachel Silva and I am a self-taught mixed media abstract artist working with mostly acrylics. I started doing this a little over 4 years ago as a way to cope with the depression and anxiety after the death of my mother and painting provided a creative outlet that continues to be extremely cathartic. I love exploring with different techniques and incorporating ways to create texture into my work. I am always trying new methods and learning something every time I create, which is the best reward. Almost all of my pieces are named after songs because music has always played such a pivotal role throughout my life. I usually put music on extremely loud, grab a drink, and just get started painting. Sometimes that works out, other times not so much, but for me it’s the journey that’s important, not the destination.
A lot of my clients, especially the repeat clients, have a sense of trust in my work. I don’t do custom requests that are the typical ‘norm’ for most artists. I usually just ask clients for specific colors they are looking to incorporate or make suggestions based upon the spaces they want to put my art!
The artistic failures, creative blocks, and setbacks don’t really phase me for too long – because at the end of the day, I accept those as a learning experience to keep me moving. Mostly for me, just the process of getting my hands dirty and being able to shut off my brain while I am in the flow is the absolute best therapy!
I have been so fortunate to meet so many talented artists, supporters, and the most amazing people on this journey and those connections are a continuous inspiration to me.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

For me, it’s pretty simple and yet complex. This creative passion I have is my emotional release from the ongoing stress and noise from the outside world. It is more than just a hobby, it’s a passion and necessity that keeps me going. It’s my way of disconnecting from the day to day and yet it connects me to so many more important things and to a world of endless imagination and curiosity. After I am done with one of my paintings, I feel this sense of calm, even if I am painting from an emotional place of anger. Success has so many different meanings to people but being able to have one person feel a connection to one of my pieces and say they understand, that is beyond words.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think if we stop using the term “society” and replace that with community, the answer is a bit easier. Society is about the norms of social acceptance. Screw society. Get back to the roots of helping out your local artists, support your friends and family that are creatives. Share their posts, share their art, go to local artisan markets and buy art, tell your friends to go to art shows. If we stop thinking in terms of society and start thinking in terms of community, I think that’s the magic in any small business and the creative world.
I love the creatives that I’ve met along this path, and all of the local community support that I’ve received. Businesses opening up their spaces to host local art events, offering to post flyers in local restaurants, or even just donating for local art shows, has helped me more than I can even express.
Never underestimate, or take for granted, the growth that your community can bring to you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rachelsilva.art
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/rs_artstuff

Image Credits
Studio photos: Whispering Willow Photography