Armando Silva

location: The Chamber Center 2440 Pearl Street Boulder, CO 80302

A child is reaching in wonder and admiration. He is letting a part of himself out to the world as an offering and in gratitude. Each wildflower expressing important values along with his heart on the highest flower above. The child has roots connected through the earth and into his lungs. - symbolizing the breath of fresh air that lays in front of him, and in the place where his heart rests is a seed representing him at his essential core. How are we connected? What do we talk about? How can we lead? What matters most to us? Where do our ideas come from? Why should we innovate?

Armando Silva is a painter, muralist, and performer who uses his artistic abilities to tell powerful stories, build community, and inspire spectators through art. As a recipient of a Governor's Creative Leadership award from Colorado Creative Industries, Armando has been celebrated for his collaborations with cities, non-profits, businesses, and educators across the state and beyond. 

Armando was born in Sombrerete, Zacatecas, Mexico. At age 5, his family moved to Northern Colorado to pursue the American Dream. Armando submerged himself into the visual and performing arts as a way to communicate and find his identity as an ESL student. After developing his talents throughout high school, he decided to invest in them and earned a BA in Fine Arts with an emphasis in painting from The University of Northern Colorado.

Armando believes his artistic superpowers come with the responsibility to lead, educate, and give back to the community. His artistic practice focuses on compelling portraits that tell personal stories, sometimes created on canvases in his studio, or other times created through live performance in front of thousands. Armando's large-scale mural installations give communities a sense of representation, pride and access to the arts in a way that is authentic and unique to the locality. 

Armando currently lives in Greeley, Colorado and is deeply embedded in creative leadership throughout the community. He co-directs the Colorado Dance Collective, a non-profit adult dance company. His art studio space contributes to the revitalization of Downtown Greeley, and he serves on the Greeley Creative District board. Armando is on the Think360 artist roster, an agency that places working artists in schools for workshops, residencies, and performances. Armando is continues to seek opportunities to grow and add value to his creative practice. Armando strongly believes that, in order to make better content, one needs better context.

Thanks to our Art Partners and Sponsors for this mural: