Christopher Silvia

Christopher Silvia, 49, of Portsmouth, RI, died Saturday, November 28, 2015. Christopher was born June 4, 1966 in Newport, RI and is the son of the late Charles and Gertrude (Bouchard) Silvia. Chris was a graduate of Portsmouth High School and attended Bristol Community College and Swaine School of Design. He was a self-employed designer and graphic artist. In 1986, his kite depicting the Statue of Liberty won the Peoples Choice Award at the Black Ships Festival. The prize was a trip to the week-long kite festival in Hamamatsu, Japan. That trip began his life-long love of all things Japanese.He became fluent in the language and traveled there over twenty times. His graphic arts background led to a career in signage both locally and across the country. He taught arts and crafts in the summer program at Pennfield School for many years that led to designing and making sets and costumes for their theater program. He then joined the Newport Childrens Theater designing and building sets and props and designing and stitching costumes and as a member of their board of directors.Chris was a long time active member of Hauntcon and loved all things Halloween. He helped design and worked in annual Halloween Haunted Houses in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.He was a longtime volunteer in Newport Hospitals Vanderbilt Rehabilitation Center and was chosen volunteer of the year in 2007.His last adventure was in Las Vegas working with the prop master on an episode of the APL television show, Tanked.He is survived by his siblings, Barbara A. Sherman and her husband Bruce of Derby, VT, Marie P. Bacon of Middletown, Dennis C. Silvia of Portsmouth, Charlene R. Greene and her husband, Timothy of Newport, Kerrie L. Schoenbucher of Portsmouth, a nephew, Charles I. Silvia of Pennsylvania, and a niece, Jonell Blanchett and her daughter, Eleanor of Portsmouth.Services will be private.