Transcending Maya Sculpture

Norman Silva was born in Nicaragua. Due to a tumultuous political environment, his parents, with young Norman, escaped the oppressive government of Nicaragua and arduously trekked to the United States via the Mexican border. This traumatic experience, along with the war he experienced, sparked artistic expression. The family settled in Miami, Florida. Like other immigrant families before them, they epitomized the cliché, "starting from scratch." The culture shock sprouted artistic seeds and grew into an engulfing vine. He creates art because he must; he reacts to the world surrounding him, specifically to individuals close to him. It is a relentless urge to translate personal experiences into tangible forms; his creations are his innermost thoughts and feelings. Mr. Silva received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Maryland Institute, College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland, one of the most prestigious art schools in the United States, and his Master’s in Fine Arts degree from Florida Atlantic University. He has exhibited various works in galleries throughout the United States.