Silvia López Chavez
Artist & Designer
Silivia is a seasoned community-based artist and collaborator working with the likes of architects, urban planners, nonprofits, developers, and activists to develop and execute public works.
Photo by Dominic Chavez
I believe art is a tool to connect, heal, and break down silos.
With roots in the Dominican Republic, Silvia López Chavez has been working as a Boston-based artist since 1997. She believes in the power of the creative process as an agent for positive change and uses art as a vehicle for connection. Her projects include murals at the Charles River Esplanade, Northeastern University, Punto Urban Art Museum, Barr Foundation, HoneyGrow restaurant, and HUBweek.
Silvia’s work has received recognition through grants and artist residencies from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, New England Foundation for the Arts, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Google. She holds a BFA in Illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art & Design, and an associate degree in Fine Arts from Altos de Chavon the School of Design in the Dominican Republic.
Photo by Dominic Chavez
The process of working along the Charles River was intense and fun. For a period of three weeks I heard from visitors over and over the many reasons they loved it so much. The colorful artwork made them feel safer, more joyful and welcomed in a space that was otherwise a very utilitarian concrete ramp. I also had the budget to hire assistants to help me paint, and I decided right then to hire only female artists who are normally under-represented in the street art scene. This highly visible project opened new doors for me in the city and beyond.
Patterned Behavior, on the Boston-side of the Charles River Esplanade.
Photo courtesy of Silvia López Chavez
Silvia stands beneath her studio’s work on the underside of the I-93 Highway in Boston’s South End, as part of the Underground Mural Project in 2019.
Photo by Dominic Chavez
Sketch for Silvia’s mural for the Underground Mural Project, 2019.
Photo courtesy of Silvia López Chavez
In addition to her fine art practice, Silvia is an award-winning design professional, working for over 16 years with high-profile companies and institutions. In 2013, she formalized Chavez Design Studio, where she provides art, illustration, and design services, also partnering with other creatives in her community to find the best solutions for national and international projects. Today, she is creating healing spaces and bringing joy to unexpected places—whether in a hospital or outside painting a mural alongside other female artists—and empowering women and girls to take up space through visual art.
Photo by Matthew Modoono
My advice? Get to know yourself and keep your eyes on your goals. Identify your passions, weaknesses, and strengths, so you can better understand the path to take. Believe in yourself and find people that encourage and believe in you. Learn about what you are willing to sacrifice in order to get to where you want to be, even if that means dreaming about art school while deep-frying French fries and washing dishes. Don’t be a victim of circumstances and take charge of your own future.