Ask Rich DiSilvio what he does for a living, and he’ll likely pause before offering a sweeping answer. Artist, author, designer, historian—DiSilvio is a modern-day polymath who has mastered his interests in fine art to fiction, never tethered to a single path.
“I follow my instincts, what I feel I can contribute to,” said DiSilvio, speaking from his home in Massapequa. “And if I have some sort of talent for something, I try to push that.”
That approach has led DiSilvio down numerous creative avenues, from album cover design for classic rock legends to history books praised by scholars. He’s even had his work exhibited internationally, including at the Tchaikovsky Museum in Russia.
Growing up in Seaford, DiSilvio was inspired at an early age by the original Renaissance man: Leonardo da Vinci.
“As a young boy, Leonardo da Vinci was my first idol,” he said. “He was into everything. He just followed his curiosity.”
While traditional schooling pushed him toward a single career path, DiSilvio’s curiosity won out. He initially studied architectural design and construction before shifting to commercial art, studying at the Stevenson Academy of Traditional Art in Sea Cliff, led by Norman Rockwell protégé Harold Ransom Stevenson.
“Norman Rockwell had only selected five students to ever mentor, and he was one of them,” DiSilvio said. “I was fortunate to learn from him.”
That training fueled his commercial work for the music and entertainment industries, leading to collaborations with well-known names and the eventual leap into fine art. One particularly proud moment came when his portraits of classical composers were turned into porcelain collectibles and picked up by performing arts centers globally. The Tchaikovsky Museum even requested his artwork for its collection.
“It’s just funny how things snowball and go in directions you never anticipate,” he said.
Though his visual art developed early, DiSilvio came to writing later in life—somewhat unexpectedly.
“I started writing when my daughter went to college,” he said. “As a child, I never even contemplated ever being a writer. It even took me by surprise.”
What began as a personal project for his children—a deeply researched history book addressing gaps and inaccuracies he noticed in school curricula—quickly became something much larger.
“After five years of research and writing, which was supposed to be just for my family, I had a couple of friends read it,” he recalled. “They said, ‘Oh my God, you have to publish this.’”
He did—and received rave reviews from academics and readers alike. Since then DiSilvio has published a wide range of books, including thrillers, science fiction, children’s stories and more historical works.
“Even with my books, it’s all different genres,” he said. “A lot of different things interest me.”
Among his personal highlights: having his books featured at Hofstra University, where he once studied, and meeting bestselling author Nelson DeMille, who exchanged books with him before passing away.
Another bucket-list moment came when he was asked to design an album cover for the legendary progressive rock band Yes—one of his favorite groups growing up.
“That was like a dream come true,” he said. “A little dream I could check off.”
Though he’s taken a brief hiatus from writing and touring following the birth of his first grandson, DiSilvio said he feels the creative itch returning. He’s considering sequels to some of his earlier works and is reconnecting with fans through his website and social media.
“I’ve been out of the loop a little bit, but now that he’s close to two years old, I’m getting that urge again,” he said.
When asked if he has a favorite medium, DiSilvio demurred.
“It’s hard to say what’s my favorite because I have a passion for all of them,” he said.
Whether it’s through vivid paintings, rich historical narratives or intricate design work, DiSilvio’s goal remains the same: to create, to explore and to share what he finds along the way.
“I just basically do what I want to do,” he said. “And somehow, it all connects.”
Visit richdisilvio.com to learn more.
