The Artist’s Interview with Soraya Silvestri

With remarkable talent, abstract artist Soraya Silvestri has pursued her passion for creating an array of extraordinary paintings inspired by nature. Soraya has an exceptional eye for detail and this is effectively conveyed in her unique paintings. Through Soraya’s work, she has the ability to capture all facets of beauty from her surroundings. I am particularly fond of the powerful emotion expressed in her ocean pieces. As you browse through her pieces below, I think you will agree, Soraya excels at capturing the very essence of her subjects with her very own approach to celebrating the natural world.

It’s my pleasure to share Soraya’s thoughts and ideas about her work with my readers. Soraya, thank you so much for taking the time to share your view of nature through your words and unique approach to your craft. It was a pleasure getting to know you and about your process. You are a remarkable artist and someone who is definitely worth following. You have given the readers an opportunity to glimpse into the mind of a person who truly enjoys what they do.

If you’d like to learn more about Soraya or if you are interested in purchasing one of her exquisite pieces, please visit her website. You can also follow her on Twitter.

Can you please tell the readers a bit about yourself?

Hi! My name is Soraya Silvestri. I am half Italian and half Austrian born in Brazil.
I am married, with two grown children, a grandson, and another grandbaby on the way.

Where is home?

I live in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is the capital city of Canada. It’s a great place to live. It has all the great things that a large city does, but with a ‘small town’ feel.

How did you discover your passion for your work?

I have always loved art. Whenever I walk into any room anywhere, the first thing I see is the art (or lack thereof). So, when we moved into our new home, I wanted some art that really spoke to me. I searched, but could not find anything that really fit the bill. I decided to paint it myself. My passion for painting was ignited and I still love to paint after all these years.

Are you formally taught or self-taught?

I am completely self-taught, learning with each ‘mistake’. I have tried many techniques and styles finding what worked for me and what didn’t.

What does your art mean to you?

It is part of who I am. I couldn’t live without it. Each creation is my ‘baby’ and I love each one. I am so connected to each piece because of the amount of thought, work, and love that I put into it.

What inspires you?

Nature, in all its abundance, is a constant inspiration. I love the power of the ocean. The majesty of mountains, clouds that billow or are dark and thunderous. There are countless patterns and beautiful colours. I’m simply in awe of nature and all this it provides us daily.

What project(s) are you currently working on now?

I have been working on a series of water/cliff paintings. They show the power of nature and its beauty.

I have loved combining techniques to create something that is unique and beautiful.

What is the process you go through when creating a piece?

I think a lot about what the final painting will look like before I start. It is all done in my head. I do not use a reference as I prefer to create my own vision and work towards that goal. The painting may change as I paint, and I prefer to ‘go with the flow’. I am not strict about it. I just like to give myself some guidelines. The painting often tells me which direction to go to.

How do you know when a piece is complete?

I work hard to add a lot of detail and interest to my paintings. Often, the painting changes for the sake of composition. I keep working until I get an excited ‘vibration’ that tells me when it is complete and complete to my satisfaction.

How do you go about pricing your work?

I work with the galleries to price my work. It is based on the size of the canvas. So I could work for five hours a day, for a whole week and the painting would be priced the same as one that took me five hours in one day.

What drives you to create; does it satisfy a need or passion?

Whenever I face a blank canvas, I am excited to envision a new painting. I love that a painting, just acrylic paints, placed together in a unique way, can create a whole new world, place, or abstract form. Where I place the paint, with what brush, and with which hue creates something that was just in my head. It becomes real through my medium and my vision. I am happy that my Grandkids will have a better understanding of who their Grandmother is through my work.

Which artists are you most influenced by?

There is an American artist named Michael Lang who has influenced me tremendously. There are a lot of artists that I admire and am inspired by. The list would be long, but Mr. Lang is the most influential for me.

Have you ever found it difficult to part with any of your pieces?

As each new painting is my ‘baby’, I do find it difficult to let go. But, I am happy knowing that someone is loving it as much as I do.

What is your favorite piece and why?

How can I choose among my ‘babies’? Lol. Seriously, I do love my paintings, but if I had to choose one, it would have to be ‘Gale’. I’m not sure if it was the first in this style, but it made the most impact on me. I love it for the power it depicts. Pictures don’t do it justice. A lot of detail is lost in pictures. It is so much better in person.

Where do you currently display your art? How can people purchase one or more of your pieces?

Unfortunately, a lot of galleries have closed, but I am currently represented by: Santini Gallery and ArtPrior Gallery.

Anyone interested in purchasing can check out my website for artwork that is in the ‘Original Works for Sale’ section. Contact me at SorayaSilvestriArtist@gmail.com.

You can also see the creation of my work on my YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVt5utEwqmnZks_0Ftzvvqw

Are there other mediums of art that you would like to explore and experiment with?

I have experimented with many mediums in my journey to today. I never say ‘never’. I am always open to what could be.

What do you think the future holds for you? Where do you see yourself in the next few years?

I will most definitely be painting and loving it still. I started my own YouTube channel when Covid began (already over a year ago!) and have loved learning all about what goes into producing a video. It has been a lot of fun and I’ve gotten some great feedback, so I definitely want to continue with that.

In the next few years, I hope that my channel will have become recognized and become successful. Whether it has or not, the constant is my work. The passion for it is what gets me out of bed every day.