Edda Davila
Edda Davila is an empowering figure in contemporary art. She’s a mixed media artist, based in Florida, who portrays intense beauty through her vivid animal and human oil paintings, who also aims to inspire others to dream big and find the happiness they deserve.
Personal History
Born in 1980 in Miami after her family left behind a difficult situation in Nicaragua, Edda Davila’s most cherished childhood memories are of sleepovers with cousins and time spent with her grandparents, including her artist grandmother. In her small studio room filled with art supplies, the young Davila watched her grandmother set up for still life painting and was taught how to paint within view of her garden through blue wooden windows.
READ MORE +Edda Davila’s family struggled financially and sometimes, there was not enough food to eat, let alone extra money for things that Davila wanted to have or do during her childhood. As a teenager, she decided that she wanted to pursue an artistic career in interior design but when she turned 18, Davila was told that she’d be going to an American accredited school to study English to get a job like her older sister. Even though she was studying business administration in college, art was always present through her grandmother and brother.
Edda Davila struggled with depression in her 20s. Together with low self-esteem and feeling like she lacked purpose in life, Davila was unhappy and couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. When she felt sad, Davila turned to painting and while she couldn’t have known it at the time, art would play a massive role in a promising future filled with joy, color, and purpose. Davila healed through art and in the process, she started to fall in love with how she felt when painting. Creating brought her joy and happiness and opened up new possibilities for her. At age 24, she packed all her possessions into a pair of suitcases and left for Puerto Rico to live with her sister.
She started painting as a self-taught artist but soon began to study at the Milan Art Institute where she mastered her craft with the help of mentor Rita Vicardi. Art became her purpose in life and gave Davila a better sense of self and how to express her thoughts and emotions on canvas.
She believes that every single person plays a role on Earth, and her artwork aims to inspire others to follow their dreams and live the kind of life that makes them excited to wake up every day. She’s an artist set on empowering everyone she encounters through her art to be the best version of themselves, to live a life with purpose, and to leave a mark behind.
She describes her artistic style as abstract mixed media that cleverly uses shapes and forms to create something new and original. To create her art today, Edda Davila starts with a mood. She paints whether happy, angry, sad, or joyful, and is always listening to music — perreo intenso (reggaeton), salsa, or romantic music. Because she lacks patience, Davila works fast to complete a work of art in her beautiful Fort Pierce, Florida studio.
Today, Davila is happy that most of her life revolves around creating art and being with her family — her husband and their four-year-old daughter. Together, they swim at the beach on weekends and walk on the jetty, and they share an intense love for animals (they have three cats, a dog, and a tortoise). She loves to travel, to try new food and finding inspiration by meeting and understanding people from diverse cultures around the world. She is aiming to become the first Nicaraguan woman to visit to 100 countries.
Accomplishments
Though still young, Davila has done several shows and accomplished much in her time as an artist. The most memorable exhibition was Art Basel 2023, and the most exciting moment was seeing her art featured in the movie Scrambled.
To inquire about collecting the artwork of Edda Davila, attend one of Park West’s online auction weekends or contact a sales associate at either sales@parkwestgallery.com or 1-800-521-9654 (option 4).