SANTA ANA : Sharing Joy, Pride Through His Art

Simon Silva describes his childhood as short and often painful, filled with domestic violence and long days toiling in the strawberry fields of Holtville, Calif., often missing months of school.

Today, Silva draws on those experiences to create stunning paintings, including portraits of life on the state’s farms and ranches.

But the works contain surprisingly little of the frustration and hopelessness Silva says he felt growing up.

Instead, his art celebrates tenderness, joy and pride in his Latino heritage.

During visits to Santa Ana and Valley high schools Thursday, the Mexicali-born artist spoke with hundreds of students to emphasize the importance of education and fine arts.

“Use your experiences, negative or positive, and make them of use to you,” Silva told a group at Santa Ana High School.

Silva, who now lives in San Bernardino, said that through dance, music, painting and other fine arts, students can express themselves and gain self-esteem, adding that, “If you have something to say, people are going to listen.”

Silva urged students to stay focused on education regardless of what peers or family members might say.

He noted that his parents opposed his paying for school when he could have been making money working in the fields.

“It wasn’t bad enough that I wanted to go to school but that I wanted to go into art. My parents couldn’t understand why I wasn’t going into something more worthwhile, like becoming a doctor or lawyer,” he said.

Now an internationally known painter, Silva, 33, has artwork on display in Russia and other spots around the globe.

Audyra Mendez, 14, said she was impressed with Silva’s message. “It pays to go to school. You might not like it now, but what you do comes back to you” and improves your life, she said.

Silva’s work will be on display tonight at 7 at Martinez Books and Art, 220 W. 3rd St.