Working without frontiers
- Bela switches from sculpture to drawing with perfect mastery
- Listening to her inner voice enabled her to find her unique path
- When her pieces get too dark she searches for sunshine
Bela Silva’s form of expression is a fusion of fine and applied arts. Passionate about both ceramics and drawing, she was told she had to choose between them, but instead she listened to her inner voice and now works with both. After studying fine arts in Porto she continued her studies abroad, and it was her time at the Art Institute of Chicago that put her on the path to becoming the artist she is today. Her immense creativity comes from everyday life, fantasy and travelling. “But we can also travel at home,” she says. Living between Brussels and Lisbon, her creations are a barometer of her state of mind. When they become too dark Bela knows it’s time to seek out sun and warmth so as to restore colour and light to her objects.
INTERVIEW
It is key! Listening to myself allowed me to find my individual style, which is not easy to label as I am a ceramicist who also loves to draw. I think it has made my work recognisable. A lady once told me her child saw one of my pieces in a book and said “that’s Bela”.
As a student I was told at times that my pieces were too rough and needed to be straighter. I never agreed and kept on using the techniques I learnt freely without just following the supposedly 'right' way. It is funny to see there is now a trend for the shapes I make.
I continue drawing for textiles as well as creating decorative ceramic objects. In recent years I have also developed larger three-dimensional ceramic projects with architects as well as works for public spaces such as panels for the Sakai Cultural Centre in Japan.
Definitely the ocean and sun inspire me; they are reflected in my work even if subconsciously. When I observe the architecture of Portugal I can’t help but see that there is a lot of me there. My travels and seeing places such as the Walls of Babylon have been equally inspirational.
