Silja Salmistu

Silja Salmistu PSA, IAPS-MC is Estonian artist living and working in Denmark. Since 2016, she is dedicated to soft pastels, with still life as the main subject.
Graduated with honor from Tartu Art School in 1986
Earned a MFA equivalent degree in painting in Tartu University in 1994, during the transition from collapsed communist regime to modern democracy.
The contrasts can also be traced in her art – strict control with realistic detail here, free improvisation with loose abstract mark-making there; awareness of tradition combined with modern experiments; happy carefree florals side by side with thought-provoking compositions of hard issues like war, violence, abuse etc., staged as a kid`s play with toys.

Salmistu prefers to paint from life, to share the room and time with her objects. She closely observes them and interprates the visual perception on her paintings, with special focus on light.

She is a multiple award and competition winner, both on the international pastel scene and in Danish and Estonian all-media juried exhibitions.
Salmistu has exhibited in numerous juried, curated, group and solo shows since 1997 in Europe, UK, USA, China, Canada and online. Her art has been featured in several international and natio...

1989 -1994 Tartu University MFA painting
1982 -1986 Tartu Art School designer-decorator

2026
* Enduring Brilliance! PSA 54th Annual (juried), National Arts Club, NYC, NY, USA
*APF Expo Int. Pastels, Berric, Morbihan, FR
*E-Art salon, (solo) Tartu, EST
*49th Annual Easter Exh. Brønderslev, DK
*Pastel d´Opale 7th Int. Biennial,Saint-Léonard,FR
*BoldBrush Comp. Dec´25 (Finalist aw)
 
2025
*Pastel Journal 27th Annual Comp. Pastel 100 (2 HM)
*Kaja Cultural Centre, (solo) Tallinn, EST
*UART Pastel Comp. (2nd prize)
 *Les Pastellistes PSEC 30th Int. juried Exh, Espace Quatre Cents, Quebec, CAN (2nd prize)
*IAPS Juried Fall Webshow 15th Master Circle Division
*(solo) Hopneri maja, Tallinn, EST
*APF Salon Int. du Pastel, Berric, FR
*Pastel en Abers Int. Festival, Plouguerneau, FR
*Dakota Art Pastels 1st Quarter Comp. (3rd Prize)
*YELLOW , Red Rock Pastel Society of Nevada (juried), USA
 
2024
*Pastel Journal 26th Annual Comp. Pastel 100 (category winner, 2 Honorable Mentions)
*PASTEL WORLD 10th Zhuhai Shutong Art Pastel Invitational Exh, Zhuhai, CHINA
*Pixel Pastel PSEC (Pastel Society of Eastern Canada) Int. (juried) (10th place)
*Enduring Brilliance! PSA 52nd Annual, National Arts Club, NYC, NY, USA
*APF Salon Int. du Pastel, Berric, FR
*Bold Brush March (Outstanding Pastel)
*Annual Easter, Brønderslev, DK
*Pastel d`Opale 6...