CRES D’SYLVA - Bio
My art work is influenced by my various experiences of travel and study in Europe, Scandinavia, N. Africa and a few Asian countries. I embrace abstract expressionism, Black and White Photography and Ceramics. Some of the themes I use in my paintings are architecture, aircraft and music.
Music influences my artwork considerably. I love to paint while listening to music. The dynamics and various harmonic tones of music influence my choice of colors in my paintings.
My art work is influenced by my various experiences of travel and study in Europe, Scandinavia, N. Africa and a few Asian countries. I embrace abstract expressionism, Black and White Photography and Ceramics. Some of the themes I use in my paintings are architecture, aircraft and music.
Music influences my artwork considerably. I love to paint while listening to music. The dynamics and various harmonic tones of music influence my choice of colors in my paintings.
My art work is influenced by my various experiences of travel and study in Europe, Scandinavia, N. Africa and a few Asian countries.
I have lived more than 10 years in each of the following countries: India, Australia , Mexico & now permanently in USA since February, 2001. I have also lived for 10 months in Denmark in 1984, studying at the University of Copenhagen, the Danish language & culture. I did my schooling at the St. Bede's Anglo Indian High School in Madras, ( Chennai), India. Later, I studied for my Associates in Engineering at Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal, before immigrating to Australia in Jan 1991 with just US $ 8.00 in my pocket. Good friends & the St.Vincent de Paul Society in Sydney, helped me settle in. After I got a job, I was enjoying my stay in my new found country.The following year I got my Australian citizenship. I lived in Australia for 15 years working for the Department of Defense in Sydney. After working for the Australian Government for 10 years , I was able to take long service leave & LWOP, so I went to live in Copehagen, Denmark for 10 months in 1994. I decided Australia was not the best place for business, so in 1986 after a visit to Mexico, I decided to go and live there for 14 years where I was in business for myself: I was exporting wine to Denmark & later, tropical fruit: Okra, Avacado Hass & Persian Seedless lime to specialty importers in Europe. For the sake of my children’s education & future employment prospects, I decided to come to USA in Feb 2001, to live here permanently with my 4 daughters in Illinois. I worked as a Bilingual Data Technical Coordinator for a large telecommunication company, Verizonwireless for fourteen and a half years, before I decided to retire in June 2015 and take up art.
Cres D’Sylva - Artist Statement
Art And Cultural Studies:
I studied for my Art Diploma at the East Sydney Technical College, Darlinghurst, Sydney, Australia in 1978. After that, I also did a special course in ¨Design & Decoration in Ceramics¨at the same college. Besides going to ESTC, I also took a course in Ceramics at the ( then) Woollahara - Waverly Arts Center in Woollahara, a suburb of Sydney, studying under master Austrian - Australian Ceramist Trudie Albert for one year.Photography: I took an advanced photographic course on ¨The Esthetics of Photography¨at Sydney University - WEA 1984: Living in Denmark, I joined the Dansk Nikon Camera Club in Copenhagen & took a few advanced photography courses at the club. I participated in our annual group photographic exhibition at the end of the year at the Galerie Gammel Strand in Copenhagen.1984: University of Copenhagen, Studieskolen, Denmark : Danish language and culture.1986: UNAM. The National Autonomous University of Mexico , Mexico City: Spanish language and culture.
Exhibitions:
1979: In Australia , I had various group exhibitions, including East Sydney Technical College Annual Art Show. The Woollahara - Waverly Annual Ceramics Show. 1984: Dansk Nikon Camera Club annual exhibition at Galerie Gammel Strand in Copenhagen, Denmark1986: My first solo international exhibition was at the Galerie Gammel Strand, in Gammel Strand, Copenhagen, Denmark in 1986. Some of my recent group exhibitions were a group exhibition at the Golan Liberman Contemporary Art Gallery in Rockford, Oct. 2008. 2011- One of my paintings, Elton John With Piano was selected for display at the Freeport Art Museum Juried Exhibition VII , November 12th, 2010 to February 5th, 2011.2018: More recently my painting, Macabre Massacre With Machetes, got selected for the Freeport Art Museum 15th Annual Juried Exhibition held on Nov 17th, 2018 till Feb 15th , 2019 at Freeport Art Museum 121 North Harlem Ave Freeport, Illinois.2019: In April 2019, four of my paintings was selected for displayed at the Rockford Art Council Spring Art Show in Rockford City Hall, Rockford Illinois. 2019: Two of my paintings were selected for the Rockford Art Guild - Annual art show at the William Reif Gallery at Womanspace . 3333 Maria Linden Dr. Rockford Il 61114 - July 2019 through September 2019. 2019- October: My art work, Tequila Sunset got selected for the Freeport Art Museum 16th Juried Exhibition, Nov 15th, 2019 to Feb 15th, 2020 at Freeport Illinois2020 November & 2021 November - Three of my paintings were selected for the ( virtual ) Luxembourg Art Prize at La Pinacotheque, Grand Duchy, Luxembourg2021 March. Beloit Art Center 520 E Grand Ave WI 53511. Three of my photographs were selected for the BAC Juried Exhibition.2021 July - Three of my photographs were selected for display at the Fran Achen Photographic Exhibition at the Whitewater Arts Alliance 402 W Main St. Whitewater WI 531902021 August - My painting The Colored Steps got a Third Premium Prize at the Boone County Arts & Crafts Exhibition at the Boone County Fair , Belvidere Il 610082021 October. i had a solo art exhibition of my abstract paintings at the Beloit Art Center 525 E Grand Ave Beloit WI 535112021 November - Rockford Art Guild member art exhibition at Katie’s Cup Restaurant 502 7th St. Rockford Il 611042022 February - Solo exhibition at The Janesville Convention & Business Center Building HPL, 316 S. Main St. Janesville WI 535422022: June 10th to July 30th , 2022 - The William Reif Gallery at Womanspace , Rockford is offering me the opportunity to have a SOLO exhibition at their gallery.2022 October . Rockford Art Guild Group Art Exhibition at the Katies’s Cup Restaurant in Rockford Il
My paintings depict an eclectic mix of myriad colors & precisely drawn shapes that are well balanced within the painting. I use the skills I learned at engineering college when designing my shapes on the paintings. I am greatly influenced by the Mexican culture & folklore. Especially the brightly colored dresses of the Oxaca people from Mexico.
My paintings burst out with life, vitality and excitement. They are a joy to behold and uplifting to the spirit. My art work is influenced by other abstract artists like Bridget Riley, Yaacov Agam, Frank Stella , Edward Hopper and architects like Zaha Hadid, British Iraqui architect, Jorn Utzon, Santiago Calatrava etc, The color panels in my paintings are interwoven to give a more organic, wholesome, balanced but modern touch to the art work.
My work is presented to you for your visual enjoyment.
Creswell D’sylvaTel: 815-765-1372
E: creswell007@gmail.com
www.cresdsylva.com
Instagram: cres_dsylva
Acrylic on canvas . 28 x 20 inches
Acrylic on canvas 30 x 24 inches
Acrylic on canvas 30 x 24 inches
Acrylic on canvas . 20 x 16 inches
Acrylic on canvas . 28 x 20 inches
Acrylic on canvas 30 x 24 inches
Acrylic on canvas 30 x 24 inches
Acrylic on canvas . 20 x 16 inches