Venezuelan migrant Juan Carlos Silva documents first year in Chicago in art

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Juan Carlos Silva is a Venezuelan migrant about to celebrate his first full year in Chicago. He has documented his experiences in art.

Tuesday, Silva was putting the finishing touches on his latest sketch. He's thankful to be able to rent an apartment in Chatham with space for a studio. It's the better life he was hoping for when he arrived in Chicago by bus nearly a year ago after migrating from his native Venezuela.

"He talked about the government and it was corrupt and he had to flee for his safety," said Sheila O'Gorman, migrant volunteer.

O'Gorman met Silva in May 2023 when she volunteered to help newly arrived migrants at the police station at 71st and Cottage Grove.

Silva was by himself. The 47-year-old is a widower, and his two sons are still in Venezuela.

O'Gorman had brought a friend who speaks Spanish to help with the language barrier.

"When I met him there, I walked up and Juan Carlos was drawing. And I said, 'Who drew this?' and he said, 'Me,'" she recalled.

In addition to portraits, Silva also paints about the migrant experience. He said children suffer a lot on the journey, walking four or five days without food or water, and much of the water is contaminated.

His artwork is now getting buzz around town, and is displayed in different venues.

"Then we went to Tamale Hut Café in Berwyn because people started talking and sure, you can hang up your work here," O'Gorman said.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday, some of Silva's friends will gather in Blue Island at Taqueria Durango to celebrate his upcoming anniversary. Some of his artwork is on display there.