☆ “There’s a way past any obstacle”: Artists praise the steadfast Silicon Valley spirit (2/4)
John Ross Key: Harvesting near San Jose, California, 1874.
Grit. Determination. Passion. Fourteen creative changemakers discuss what’s in that Silicon Valley special sauce—and how it’s elevated (and distinguished) local art, culture, and innovation. Here’s Part 2 of Opp Now’s exclusive roundup.
Judy Thompson-Melanson, local painter: Silicon Valley is a massively attractive state-of-mind, creative at its core, drawing to itself original thinkers from across the world. Steve Jobs used the phrase “artiste engineer,” holding the view that both artists and engineers are driven by the need for self-expression, and their work can intertwine.
Having lived in both Silicon Valley worlds, transitioning from art to technology to art, I have come to appreciate how porous the line is that separates them, so much thriving and overlap. Among the spectacular technological inventions tied to Valley companies are clusters of artists and hotspots from which emerge imaginative art made from traditional and invented technologies and impossibly beautiful landscape paintings that could only be made in admiration of such a rich and diverse terrain.
As an artist, it is the creative intelligence of the Valley, its jinn, that holds me happily in its thrall.
Aldo Billingslea, Santa Clara University acting and performance studies professor, Silicon Valley Artist Laureate: During the pandemic, I was doing some work with Facebook and Google online through a consulting firm called Strictly Speaking Group. In one of our discussions, someone new to the area said that what they found most remarkable throughout the various companies they had worked with in the Valley was a sense that there was a way past any obstacle—it’s just that we hadn’t always thought of it yet. That seems to be distinctly Silicon Valley, and it’s one of my favorite features about our region.
Parthenia Hicks, Robinson Jeffers Tor House poet, Los Gatos Poet Laureate emeritus: There was a time I wouldn’t have hesitated to describe the sheer beauty of this blossoming Valley of Heart’s Delight, as it was once called, as the perfect balm to fill a hollow heart on uncertain days. Alas, the orchards have receded into memory. Can anything replace or equal the allure of Mother Earth’s beauty? Well, maybe not.
But what comes close for me is the diverse mixture of cultures, languages, artistic expression, and the wide avenues for enriching my perspective on almost any topic that comes to mind, not to mention my circle of friends. Within minutes, I can find a voice that differs completely from my own and therefore offers me the opportunity for energetic exchange—to agree, disagree, collaborate, and ultimately widen my esthetic and philosophical vistas. The spirited high I get from living in such a richly diverse environment is my go-to favorite thing about Silicon Valley.
Rachel Tirosh, local painter: What I love most about Silicon Valley is its ability to inspire reinvention and creativity. When I first visited in 1991, I was captivated by its cultural diversity and opportunities, especially in high-tech. As an electrical engineer from a small Israeli suburb, relocating to Silicon Valley in 1994 felt like a dream come true.
What began as an 18-month assignment turned into a lifelong journey, with my family and me settling in Sunnyvale. Over time, I discovered Silicon Valley isn’t just about technology—it’s a place for personal transformation. After years in engineering, I transitioned to non-representational abstract and interdisciplinary conceptual art, drawn to its freedom and creativity.
Becoming an artist was life changing. I immersed myself in the Bay Area art scene, exhibited my work widely, and pursued an MFA in Fine Art. Despite challenges like high living costs, Silicon Valley’s vibrant community, energy, and exceptional climate make it an inspiring home.
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