About

Short Bio

Jack's artwork is found in publications/pubic/private collections: Victoria & Albert Museum, London; Museum of Modern Art, Seoul, South Korea; Church of Sao Bras, Companario, Madeira.

Statement

I have been an Arts advocate for over thirty years. I seek to help people understand how central the Arts and the ability to create with one’s own hands are to human existence. Training in the Visual and Performing Arts greatly influenced my work into realizing that what can be imagined may actually become reality. 
 
To this end I have focused much of my energy as an international advocate for teaching of hand made crafts as an exploration of the arts. This is especially important to pass on to our youth who may not yet have had such opportunities. 

I have completed research in Greece, Israel, Mexico, South Korea, Japan, Great Britain, with exhibitions in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Taiwan and across the USA. In 1982, Jack became a Visiting Professor in the Jewelry/Metal Arts programs of Kook Min University and Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea. 

 

Biography

A native of California, Jack da Silva is from a family of artisans. A third generation gravestone maker, Jack enjoys teaching 3D Design, metalsmithing, anticlastic raising, jewelry making and hand crafted arts advocacy. In 1981, he received an MFA in Metalsmtihing/Jewelry Design from Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, focusing on research and hands on experimentation of ancient/traditional metalworking techniques.

Being a native of California, Jack was born into a Portuguese family of artisans. As a third generation gravestone maker, he was first introduced to metal working when his Dad asked him to straighten out bent double head nails we recycled to use in erecting wooden forms to fabricate hollow cast concrete mausoleums. Jack was not thrilled. Yet, it helped him to learn how to grip the hammer handle, develop the direction and sequence of hammer blows, use the appropriate amount of force required to move the metal and protect my hands.
 
Jack became fascinated with how hand tools can provide for a reliability based on a simple application of technology. This drew his interest to focus on the metal arts, research and conducting hands-on experiments of ancient/traditional metalworking techniques from around the world. These came to absolutely revolutionize Jack's fascination, development of skills and travels to create and teach Jewelry and Metals to this day. I believe, as Jack Brubaker one commented to him,  ‘This is why metalsmithing and metal arts can never die, as long as there is one hand ready to pass the hammer along to another willing to receive it’.
 
 

Resume / CV

Jack has offered college level courses since 1981 at Indiana University, Bloomington, IN; Metal Arts Instructor, City College of San Francisco, CA; Adjunct Professor at California College of the Arts, Oakland, CA; and retired 2012 as Tenured Professor Evergreen Valley College, San Jose, CA. In 1982-1983, Jack da Silva was invited as a Visiting Professor in Jewelry/Metal Arts at Kook Min University and Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea. Jack continues to present workshops, lectures, exhibiting nationally and internationally.
 
In 1999-2008, Jack founded and funded MAKER: Metal Arts worKshop & Educational Retreat a week long, hands on, adult metal arts camp at Camp Loma Mar, near Pescadero, CA. A Crew of 14 set up and assisted in the classroom spaces for 5-7 internationally renowned metal arts Presenters.
 
Jack's metal work is found in publications, and pubic/private collections including the Victoria & Albert Museum, London; Museum of Modern Art, Seoul, South Korea; Indianapolis Museum of Art, IN; City of Fremont Public Schools, Fremont, OH; City of Antioch, Antioch, CA; Church of Sao Bras, Comanario, Madeirs, Portugal and across the USA.