Ellie SilvaEllie Silva is a transgender female artist currently incarcerated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Prior to entering prison, Ellie lived in Massachusetts where she owned & operated a stable and trained horses and riders to compete in show jumpng. This career path led to extensive travelling, mostly within North America and occasionally to Europe. During these travels, she developed a deeper appreciation for art as she frequented numerous galleries and museums. In addition to a growing passion for artwork, Ellie has a long history and love for music, first learning the piano at age 7, followed by singing and guitar. These artistic expressions were sharpened by her time in prison where she sought to improve both musically and artistically through paint, watercolor, and graphite art. John Metcalf was particularly helpful in guiding Ellie's talents as they worked side-by-side for 6 years painting and drawing with moments spent working on music and band performances. In fact, Ellie was Keven's inspiration for the poem on page 41. Ellie has known Keven for over a decade while serving time together in the BOP. Ellie is excited to share her work along with Keven's poetry and believes that art, along with a thoughtfully written poem, may have the power to evoke emotion. Upon her release from prison, Ellie looks forward to making her artwork a permanent part of her life, not only for her own pleasure, but as a potential career path. Read More Read Less