On Fine Artist: John Silver
by J.S. Wolfe
New York, NY. May 2008- “The future of the art world lies in the
hands of artists”, says Mr. John Silver with conviction “...and not
ultimately under the control of galleries or museum curators”, he
continues. With the age of dogma and materialism coming to a
close and the approach of the Aquarian Age, artists will take
precedence in shaping this New Age.
Mr. Silver has been painting cityscapes since 1975. In the beginning,
he would paint in the solitude of his studio, almost always
from his imagination and strictly for his own consumption. When he
lost his space with the rise of real estate prices, the outdoors became
his studio, and as he physically initiated a communication
with the outside world, so did his art.
Mr. Silver freezes places on canvas that gives them the immortality
they wouldn't otherwise be granted. There is a sense of timelessness
and tranquility in his art that lends nostalgia of our much cherished
city of New York, and specifically, the West Village.
In his exhibition “Immortal Terrains”, his canvases are all oil paintings,
some of which depict the waterfront of the Hudson river between
Chelsea and the West Village; some showcase sail and fire
boats, the meat packing district, and landscapes that no longer exist.
He also works in pastel, from time to time.
Mr. Silver believes that any art movement is a reaction to another.
“I feel that I am reacting to a certain lack of awareness that exists in the world
through my art”, says Mr. Silver. We live under the laws of cause and effect,
yet often people focus on the effect without examining its cause.
Mr.Silver; however, reconciles that separation, by painting the often overlooked
source of action, while keeping the reaction alive. “We are evolving
as humans, and though things seem to generally be getting worse, some
parts are actually getting better. With that duality straining our minds, I
know if we learn to keep our focus, while trying to overcome the inner conflicts,
we may find peace”, affirms Mr. Silver.
“We need to unify all parts of our beings, in order to regain our serenity”, he continues. One entity divided against itself, would not have the strength and energy to survive; therefore,
it is unity and harmony that Mr. Silver advocates.
© J.S. Wolfe