Current Featured Artist - Paul Silva

Paul Silva (Boise, Idaho, 1969)
Paul Silva grew up in Turlock, California, in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley. From an early age, Paul exhibited an interest in drawing, painting, and he used his appreciation for art to manipulate different mediums into original artwork forms. At the age of twelve, his father, Vernon Silva opened a welding fabrication shop. Paul’s father was a talented craftsman, and he used his free time to instruct Paul on the art of welding. It was then that Paul had a vision to incorporate his father’s legacy with his passion for creating metal sculptors. Paul’s pieces reflect cutting edge technology for metal art and his love for each piece is tangible.

Restaurant Villa Montez’ gallery in Tyler, Texas, proudly displays Silva’s most recent pieces. Among Paul’s newest commissions are: Freddy Garcia, Major League baseball player, World Champion, and All Star pitcher with the New York Mets; Carlos Guillen, All Star shortstop with the Detroit Tigers; and Sam Adams, NFL All Pro. In addition, Silva has created pieces honoring musicians such as Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Kasey Musgraves and Derek Sholl – an up-and-coming Country music artist.

Paul is currently hard at work on new and exciting pieces. He hopes art lovers viewing his work will be captivated by them. When asked about his job, he states “When you love what you do everyday, it’s like you’ve never had a job at all.”

Statement
I feel overcome with joy and gratitude to create works of art that convey different feelings and emotions – bringing to life images that are in my mind makes for a stimulating and rewarding life. I’m a self-taught artist, and I feel my talents are truly a gift; a gift I appreciate and cherish that I want to share it with you.

My art medium is metal. I enjoy working with copper, steel, aluminum, and stainless steel. At different phases in the creative process, the metal ranges from soft, rough and a combination of diverse textures.

Many artists are talented in specific fields such as portraits, abstracts, wildlife, etc. I love constructing pieces that tell a story, and each piece of metal dictates what the final result is going to be. It is for this reason I choose not to be bound by any style or genre – the possibilities are endless!

A selection of Paul's pieces currently on display at Ceja Vineyards Wine Tasting Salon, Lounge and Art Gallery