| Silja Salmistu is an Estonian artist living and working in Denmark. Since 2016, she is dedicated to soft pastels, with still life as the main subject.
Graduated with honor from Tartu Art School in 1986- coping with the circumstances of control, censorship, limited knowledge about art developments and constant lack of art supplies under the Soviet Union occupation.
Silja earned a MFA equivalent degree in painting in Tartu University in 1994, during the transition from collapsed communist regime to modern democracy.
The contrasts can also be traced in her art - strict control with realistic detail here, free improvisation with loose abstract mark-making there; awareness of tradition combined with modern experiments; happy carefree florals side by side with thought-provoking compositions of hard issues like war, violence, abuse etc., staged as a kid's play with toys.
Salmistu prefers to paint from life, to share the room and time with her objects. She closely observes them and interprets the visual perception on her paintings, with special focus on light.
She is a multiple award and competition winner, both on the international pastel scene and in Danish and Estonian all-media juried exhibitions. Salmistu has exhibited in numerous juried, curated, group and solo shows since 1997 in Europe, USA and online. Her art has been featured in several international and national art publications (Pratique des Arts, Pastel Journal, 101 kunstnere, Pintsliga tommatud linnad, Kulda väärt kunst).
Exhibitions 2020 Roskilde Open annual juried exhibition 2020 IAPS 37th Juried Exhibition2020 Summer Delight E-ArtSalon, Tartu, Estonia (solo)2020 Pastels USA PSWC 34th International (juried)2020 Enduring Brilliance! PSA 48th Annual (juried)2020 PGE Get Dusty online competition (july-aug) (1st prize)2020 Liselund center, Slagelse, DK (solo)2020 CMPS Marks of Distinction (juried)2020 PGE Get Dusty online competition May (1st prize)2020 UART Annual online pastel competition (1st prize)2020 Accepted to IAPS 36th Annual Juried Exhibition, Dunedin, Fl, USA2020 Accepted to International Pastel Exhibition (juried) Giverny, France (cancelled due to Covid-19)2020 VK20 36th open juried exhibition, Æglageret, Holbæk, DK (3rd prize)2020 PGE Get Dusty online competition (dec 19/jan 20) (1st prize)
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