ABOUT THE ARTIST

Shylo Silvenar
Artist Bio

Shylo Silvenar (b.1978, California, USA) is an artist from Lexington, Kentucky. After leaving a 14-year career in architectural design and visualization, she pursues her passion as an artist and entrepreneur. She earned her degree in Architecture from the University of Kentucky’s College of Design in 2008, where she focused on 3D visualization in architecture. She has also been a founding member of the game developers organization RunJumpDev.org since 2010.

Influenced by her previous career and long-time love of designing video games, her artwork blends various mediums like 3D modeling, interactive media, photography, and digital painting. She creates experiences that blur the line between reality and imagination. Inspired by nature, mythology, fantasy, classic fiction, and role play her creations take the form of immersive installations, interactive digital media, and constructed narrative photography.

Beyond her artwork, Shylo is a consultant, speaker, and designer, constantly pushing the boundaries of creative expression. Her journey reflects a lifelong fascination with the intersection of art and technology, and she invites viewers to explore these realms with her.

Shylo Silvenar

Personal Statement

Since childhood, I have had a vivid imagination sparked by my love of pretend, role-playing games, fantasy, mythology, and magic. My background in architecture, visualization, video game design, and VR built on that imagination, allowing me to see the world through the lens of multiple realities & possibilities.

In the form of painterly portrait photography, digitally interactive works, or immersive cross-reality experiences, my work embraces the idea of escaping the mundane world through imagination and subtly speaks about the struggles of the mind. Drawn from personal experience as well as the experiences of loved ones, I know all too well how it feels to desire a different reality. From a healthier place now, I understand that mental health is a subject that needs to become more normalized and encourage open discussion when showing my work. Though I create new realities and my work expresses positive feelings like self-acceptance, personal growth, and understanding; each scene often also has a darkness to it, acknowledging the internal battles fought and the hard work that goes into achieving those positive feelings. 

I explore combining the real world with the otherworldly through the magic of photography, 3D, and digital editing. I often construct scenes themed around known stories to establish a common language. Each image takes the audience on an adventure. Using dreams, memories, and associations to tap into my own subconscious, I create works that contain narratives, colors, and symbols that invite my audience to connect with their own deeply personal emotions and allow viewers to self-reflect without judgment as they interpret each scene in their own unique way. Any descriptions that accompany a piece are there as an option to guide the viewer on the journey I see.