Linda Silver

Linda always loved to draw. Her parents kept her supplied with a never-ending stream of crayons, paints and pencils as a young child. As a teen, her favorite place was away from everyone, sketching pictures of everything “sixties”.

Her love of art carried her forward to pursue an art education, where she studied commercial and fine art with a focus on graphic design and illustration. At the conclusion of her senior year, Linda was recruited by Hallmark Cards, Inc. So, she packed up and moved to Kansas City, Missouri. In the beautiful Hallmark Crown Center, Linda illustrated greeting cards but soon learned that painting teddy bears in overalls wasn’t the dream job that she hoped it would be.

In the fall of 1975, Linda returned to New Jersey and married. She and her husband Joe relocated a few times in the first 10 years of marriage — including Anchorage, Alaska and Westlake, Ohio. But eventually they came home to New Jersey to raise a family. Linda continued her education and received a BA in psychology. In addition, she worked as the sole art director for a national houseware manufacturer, and later for a nationally-recognized camp outfitter. Throughout her career she has been an art director/graphic designer for print companies, graphic design firms and ad agencies, both on staff and freelance.

If not for her diagnosis of Parkinson’s in 2019, Linda wonders if she would ever have picked up a paintbrush again. After going to an occupational therapist because of problems with small handwriting (micrographia), the therapist suggested that Linda use her art background to revisit painting to help with this problem.

In the beginning of 2021, Linda began painting again and rediscovered her love of creating art. She hasn’t looked back! She is having fun working on what inspires her and has succeeded in enjoying life despite having Parkinson’s Disease.