Sylvia Estes creates sculptures from discarded materials sourced from her own consumption, often incorporating light to reveal how perception shifts with time and perspective. A shadowy cavern in daylight transforms into a softly illuminated form at night. This interplay between positive and negative space suggests that what appears true in the moment is often an oversimplification of a more complex reality. This evolving aspect of Sylvia’s work reflects her broader focus on visual literacy and critical thinking. In an age when information often reinforces preconceived ideas, Sylvia aims to create works that offer more than one perspective. By shredding, repurposing, and painting over materials like cereal boxes, newspapers and junk mail, she transforms the refuse of her daily life into abstract forms, encouraging viewers to think beyond the surface and engage more actively with the world around them.

Originally from Ithaca, NY, Sylvia studied Art History and Human Rights at Bard College. After graduating, she returned to the Finger Lakes region to pursue regenerative agriculture. Living closer to the land profoundly shaped her artistic and curatorial vision, inspiring her to reconsider the possibilities for engagement and creativity in everyday life.

Sylvia now lives and works in New York’s Hudson Valley.

Photograph by Em McCann Zauder