Wayne Silva, Woodworker

http://www.whiteram.net/wayne

Wayne Silva is a woodworker who specializes in building furniture and turning bowls. His style is heavily influenced by Southwest Native American art and by the Craftsman furniture of the early 1900’s. He uses a variety of tropical hardwoods which he carefully selects for their color, grain and texture. Cocobolo is often used throughout his work, because of its beautiful, rich grain patterns. Wayne’s style emphasizes the natural beauty of the wood.

Wayne Silva first learned woodturning in New Zealand, and later developed his woodturning skills while in Australia. There, he joined the Sydney Woodturners Guild and studied under several experienced woodturners.

He taught himself the woodworking skills to produce high-quality cutting boards made from a variety of fine woods. Using those skills, he began to build furniture. Much of his furniture is custom designed in the Craftsman-style tradition of Gustav Stickley. He builds furniture from fine hardwoods, such as Cocobolo, Granadillo, Canary Wood and Gaboon Ebony.

Wayne uses his talents to create wooden bowls in a variety of styles and sizes. Many different woods are used, but he specializes in cocobolo for its rich, deep color and intricate grain patterns.

Wayne has developed his own style influenced by the rustic southwest. Living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, his work reflects the artistic styles of Santa Fe and surrounding Native American communities.

Examples of Wayne Silva's wooden bowls have been displayed at the following fine galleries:

Magique Gallery at 207 W. San Francisco Street in Santa Fe, New Mexico
High Desert Gallery in Old Town Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque International Sunport, airport terminal exhibit
Geoffrey Roth Ltd. Gallery at Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village in Sedona, Arizona
Black Arrow Indian Art on the square in Prescott, Arizona
Apache Indian Arts Center and Gallery in Old Town, San Diego, California
Four Winds Trading in Old Town, San Diego, California

Several of Wayne Silva’s wooden bowls are kept in the private collections of prominent Native American pottery artists in Santa Clara Pueblo and San Ildefonso Pueblo, Laguna Pueblo and Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico.

Wayne’s tables are featured in Woodcraft Magazine, September 2006. (Click here to view the page.)

Wayne’s entries have won the following awards at state and county fairs:

2009 First Place, Fine Arts division; New Mexico State Fair, Albuquerque
2009 First Place and Peoples Choice, Albuquerque Pride Festival
2008: Second Place, Fine Arts division; New Mexico State Fair, Albuquerque
2007: Second Place, Woodworking; New Mexico State Fair, Albuquerque
2006: Best of Show and two First Place, Woodworking; New Mexico State Fair, Albuquerque
2005: Honorable mention; San Diego County Fair, Del Mar, CA

2009 New Mexico State Fair photos