So I will give You as a light for the nations, that You should be My salvation to the end of the earth. Isaiah 49:6
Hello! My name is Eva Silva, and I am an artist and blogger. I call myself "The Pondering Painter" on social media because I love to combine my thoughts and my art. If you’ve come across my work, you’ve likely noticed that it carries a deeply spiritual and faith-filled theme. My faith is at the center of everything I do.
What do I believe? I find that today's modern labels can't describe my beliefs, simply because these labels can represent such a broad spectrum of thoughts and identities. I would like to just call myself a believer. I am a believer in a God of infinite love, justice, and understanding, who from the beginning of time has reached out in redemptive love to us His creation. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I believe that because of the curse of sin, we are separated from Him and suffer, but that His ultimate goal is to bring us out of that suffering and back into His presence.
I am constantly inspired by His graciousness, love, and infinite understanding, and it is my greatest mission to spread the truth about Him through my projects to those who are searching for deliverance and more to life. I pray that my creations can bring inspiration or healing to you, whichever one it is that you need!
My Story
I grew up in the rugged beauty of British Columbia, Canada. My family lived on a quiet acreage in central BC, where the seasons are fierce - winters can drop to -40°C, and summers soar to +40°C. We had many pets and livestock, so some of my favorite outdoor hobbies were gardening, animal care, and building things. Art, however, would always be my main focus. I couldn’t keep my creativity bottled up, and it constantly found its way into everything I did. To this day there are pen drawings on the old stove in my parents' home where I let my creativity get the better of me.
When I left home and found less time for art, I wondered if my art really had a place in the real world. It felt impractical - foolish even - in the midst of survival and real-life responsibilities. A good friend of mine, however, saw the talent I had and encouraged me to not give up my art. So because of her and God's nudging, I kept at it! Later I heard God calling me to use art to spread His light and encourage others. I went through some very life-shaking experiences where things could've gone far worse had I not had God's protection, and because I wanted others to experience this grace of His as well, I chose to call my art business "Hananeel".
The Hebrew word "hananel" means "El (God) is gracious" or "God has favored." Hananeel was also a tower in Jerusalem, and since Elohim is my fortress, my tower, I saw it fitting. Below, I share my personal testimony of how I grew up and how it shaped who I am now. I experienced extreme isolation in my childhood which contributed to deep confusion and depression in my teenage years. Many dark and sad thoughts constantly plagued me, and I would express them in my all my drawings. After God called me to lay down all my fears and follow Him, I finally broke through all that confusion, and He delivered me from this darkness. After that, I had no desire to portray darkness, but rather light in every painting. God called me to be a "Spreader of Light" in all that I do. My art was transformed by Him. Since light always brings out vibrant color, almost every painting of mine must incorporate the whole spectrum. This has become my recognized trademark.
My aim is to inspire others to forsake darkness and look upwards with hope, so my slogan "forging inspiration" reflects this. My testimony below also shares my journey out of cult-mindsets and manmade laws into the freedom of following only God's instructions, such as Sabbath keeping, following a Biblical diet, and celebrating His prophetic holy days. Even if you do not agree with my perspective, I hope that this testimony can be an encouragement to anyone who has suffered confusion, guilt, and rejection because of religious control. I hope it inspires you to connect with and serve the community around you instead of letting fear isolate you. The incredible blessings that come from extending ourselves the way God instructs is without regret. (Please Note: since the recording of this, I have noted that some of the people we discussed have gone off into strange teachings, so I want to express that I don't follow any specific teachers. I base all my beliefs off scripture and hold myself accountable to the believers in my community.)