Our presenters are curated for their quality, depth, integrity, and alignment with our educational purpose. Since 1982, a distinguished faculty of authors, educators, activists, artists, performers, and practitioners have shared their work at our Cortes Island campus and in Vancouver.
Samantha daSilva
Samantha daSilva is a professional artist and educator, living and working in Salt Lake City, Utah. Born in Brazil, daSilva was inspired at an early age by her copiously artistic family. Her grandmother, a portrait artist, her aunt, an accomplished jewellery designer, and her mother, a water colourist, all influenced daSilva to experiment with a variety of mediums. Upon graduating high school, daSilva opted out of attending art school for a career path that was ‘safer’ and ‘more secure’. But life has a magnetic force that pulls you back to where you need to be. Ten years and an array of tumultuously revelatory experiences led her back to her initial love: art.
Intent on making up for lost time, daSilva dedicated herself full-time to creating and teaching art. Her passion for abstract painting has manifested itself though prolific expressions of art on canvas and varying media. Since 2008, daSilva’s work has been exhibited in over 100 different group and solo shows including a television appearance in HGTV’s Love It or List It, a collaboration with Schoolhouse Electric, and a cover feature in Dote Magazine. As an educator, daSilva has instructed at various public & private institutions across the US, Hawaii, Canada and France.