About

Adriana Silva is a Puerto Rico–born painter whose work explores the relationship between inner and outer worlds. Her early inspiration comes from the tropical landscapes of her childhood — lush mountains, sparkling beaches, and the ever-present sea — which ignited a lifelong fascination with water as both subject and metaphor. In her early work, Adriana painted dreamlike underwater environments using vibrant acrylics and bold, intuitive brushstrokes to capture the ocean’s emotional and ever-changing nature.

​

A self-taught artist, Adriana works intuitively, allowing color, movement, and rhythm to guide her process. Her paintings often transform familiar elements into symbolic forms: underwater gardens blooming with unexpected life, sailboats formed from petals, and fragmented horizons that blur memory and imagination. These early works invite viewers into immersive worlds shaped by wonder and curiosity.

​

Her practice is evolving from expressing nature into communicating ideas through symbolism. In her new series Inner Landscapes, human subjects serve as metaphors for coral reefs — interconnected ecosystems shaped by memory, emotion, and experience. Flowers, color, and symbolic elements extend each figure’s inner life, suggesting that identity is layered, collective, and constantly evolving.

​

Now based in Arlington, Virginia, Adriana’s changing surroundings have further influenced this inward turn. While the sea remains a foundational presence in her work, it now functions structurally rather than literally — informing how her compositions grow, overlap, and coexist.

​

Adriana’s work has been featured in group exhibitions in Puerto Rico, New York, Miami, California, and Washington, D.C. She has been an active member of the East End Art Guild in Puerto Rico and is currently an artist in residence at Palette 22 in The Village at Shirlington, where she regularly paints live as part of her practice. In addition to her studio work, Adriana creates commissioned paintings for private collectors.