[KELP JOURNAL] Your paintings are so expressive, Michele. Of all the things to paint, I am curious: what draws you to beach and ocean-scapes?
[MICHELE SILVA] Oh, thank you so much. Part of it is the privilege I’ve had to live most of my life by the sea, on the Cascais coast of Portugal, in Cape Cod, Massachusetts and Long Island, New York.
I guess I could never really stay away. The ocean remains mysterious to me - summoning, inspiring and healing. My favorite time of day is just before sunset when the sand and surf take on violet tones. It’s a short moment, but an eternally-repeating one, and that’s what I love to chase, draw and paint, over and over again.
[KJ] Your work reminds me of the great impressionists who utilized short brush strokes to capture the light and color of modern life. I particularly love J.M.W. Turner (who is a pre-impressionist, but I think he counts). Do you have any favorite artists from that period?
[MS] Turner’s work splashes past the canvas borders, I can feel the ocean spray when I look at them! The impressionists have inspired me since childhood, and I have lost count of the number of times I’ve visited the works of Renoir, Degas, and Sargent.
Lately, I’ve been spellbound by Joaquín Sorolla, whom I was first introduced to in the 1980s at the Hispanic Society in NYC. The bold strokes of paint that look like cream, which magically bring to life a whole world. I am forever impressed by one work of his, “The Horse’s Bath”. It’s 2.5 meters wide and over 2 meters tall, and he painted it on the beach!
I studied under, and owe a great deal to, Charles Pasquelina in Roslyn, New York, who guided me in my earliest days as an artist. I recall trying to “get tight” with a painting when he said, “if you want to be a photographer, get a camera. If you want to paint, let the paint speak.” After that, I let go of chasing photorealism and moved more confidently to impressionism.
[KJ] These paintings appear to be oil on canvas, but I know you also use watercolor. Do you prefer one or the other when painting the ocean? Is one easier to help capture those reflections on the water or the light on the cliff sides?
[MS] Both media have a big place in my heart. I realized oil was much better suited for what I like to achieve in my work; building layers of tonal values and texture, with vivid colors. I flip between oil and watercolor. I am always learning something new in each. As the larger paintings are in oil paint which take time to develop, I enjoy the rather quick results with watercolor, and of course the challenge of planning the lighter tones.
I started with pastels and watercolor, both of which I have a big place in my heart for, but once I turned my hand to oils I realized it was much better suited for what I like to achieve in my work; building layers of tonal value and texture, with deep and vivid colors. I still flip between oils and watercolor. I feel like I’m always learning something new in each, from each.
[KJ] It can be hard to tell online, but these paintings are large. Can you talk about your decision to paint big and what goes into creating a large work technically?
[MS] Well, I would love to go larger! But I’m limited by the space I have at home - what used to be the dining area in my apartment’s kitchen has long been my studio.
The largest paintings I’ve done are about 1.75m wide, and it’s clear to me that The Wave would not work at, say 50cm2. You want to stand in front of a work like that and disappear into it. Maybe one day I’ll be able to make work that’s larger than the people who look at it!
[KJ] I am also curious about the decision behind choosing the size of a work. Can you talk about the choice between large and small and everything in between, and what considerations artists make in terms of subject and expression?
[MS] It’s very instinctual and immediate for me. I mostly see a final painting’s composition, colors and dimensions right away, and then it’s the unpredictable and always exciting journey between that first instinct and the end result.
Oil paintings tend to be larger and I move very fast, with just a day or two on a pencil sketch before I am mixing paints. Watercolors are much smaller and take longer to complete as I find the reduced scale somewhat constraining and demanding, but still challenging in a way that I enjoy. Painting a face the size of a thumb is never easy for me!
That’s for my own work, and I usually have 2 to 4 on the go at any one time. Commissions are completely different. Although I’m sought for my style, it’s much more about honoring what they want to see in their portraits. It’s not just what I see, it’s how they want to be seen. It’s a wonderful challenge.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to discuss my life’s work!
Michele Silva has been a dedicated painter for over 40 years, refining her craft through a deep exploration of color, form, and emotion. Her works have been exhibited in galleries across the USA and Portugal, capturing the attention of both local and international audiences. Michele's creative journey spans decades, during which she has consistently drawn inspiration from nature and personal experiences, resulting in a body of work that resonates with both warmth and intensity.Her artistic evolution is showcased on her website, michelesilva.art.com, where visitors can explore her diverse portfolio, including her latest submission, "The Wave."
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