Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Sa.
[00:00:27] Speaker B: Foreign.
[00:00:31] Speaker A: And welcome back to tonight's episode of pivotal Change. I'm your host, Ryan Khan. And this is a show all about finding those one or two crucial things that you can do to make a pivotal change in your business, in your life, to find a further journey in your path to success.
Got a very special friend and guest on the show tonight. He has an excellent background and if you know me, you know I'm going to ask good questions that really enrich the conversation. We'll try to use my former law enforcement backgr background, my building businesses, my leadership potential to really draw out for my friend here some good questions. So we have Farah da Silva. He is a globally recognized artist for his famous hearts. They're called Corazon de Fair. And he is now a global symbol for love and resilience and gratefulness after he found a passion for art in a very real battle with depression. So fair, welcome and thank you for coming on the show.
[00:01:25] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you, Ryan. It is such an honor to be here. Thank you very much for those words. It really means a lot to me and I'm happy to share my story with, with your audience, of course.
[00:01:37] Speaker A: Well, I would love that. I'm going to ask you some of these questions and we know that there's a lot of things that happen to people before they ever hit the galleries, before they ever break through into the collector's editions and offices or there's ever any headlines. So I want to kind of start with that section of your journey there. When people hear Fair to Silva, they hear of you. What's one thing that you hope they understand about you? Maybe before they ever see one of your canvases?
[00:02:04] Speaker B: Before they see one of my canvases, to be honest, I think they, they, they want to know. I want them to know that I'm just a human being here pursuing my dreams and pursuing what I like about to do in, in life. And actually always sharing that message. I always share that, that people should pursue what they, what they love to do.
And of course, it's. Everything is all related, related with my art, with positivity, with the message. And what I communicate I hope actually goes along with that. And that's actually my message on my art. It's something physical you could see, actually that I create. But what I want to share is a message of love. And I really, I hope that, that people can get that from me when they see me, when they hear my name, when they hear whatever I'm sharing. I try, I try to communicate that
[00:02:54] Speaker A: I love that I love that. That's really important. So with you being super optimistic, really sharing those highly positive qualities, you have passions for things. So what are you kind of passionate about? What are you kind of obsessed with in the moment? Are you getting into any specific movements, any causes and rather it's a new music trend, anything like that? What's fair into right now?
[00:03:14] Speaker B: It's funny because I'm literally obsessed right now in something that I kind of stopped for a while before this painting and everything. I wanted to be a singer. So all I was doing since I was growing up was singing and writing songs and everything. And of course something happened in life and you shift paths and I was always creating. Like people would always ask me, what are you more like, what kind of artist? Like, do you paint, do you act, do you sing?
I always say I'm an artist. As long as I'm creating something, I am an artist. And I love that each discipline always connects me with the other one somehow.
And right now I've been obsessed to go back to singing. Like I've been singing a lot. Like for some reason after that depression, of course, I'll tell you later that more I stopped writing songs and just focus in painting. And it was something that I stopped because I needed to.
And right now I'm bringing it back and I'm enjoying this moment right now. To be honest, I haven't been happier singing again always. I. I can tell you that I've been singing every single day and composing new songs and everything. So it's kind of my new obsession, of course, like following along with the art. So I'm really happy with that.
[00:04:31] Speaker A: I love that. That's. That's again something that I think can really lift a lot of people's spirits. And I've. In some of our conversations, I know that you're obviously passionate about that and gonna.
So let's transition a little bit more about some of your earlier life. You know, most people don't know maybe your background or where you've come from, you know, both your origin story or the hardships in your life. But I'm going to kind of dive in the middle of the timeline. Back when you were in Miami, that was a time for you where you went through a chapter of depression. You had some, a lot of anxiety, you went to a dark place. And I know you've shared with me that that was a real low season in your life. Can you tell us about what happened in your. In your day to day and in that moment, what took you into painting
[00:05:12] Speaker B: so back then in Miami, that was 11 years ago, I want to say.
And, yeah, I was like into a very, very bad depression time. It was a very, very dark place for me, and a lot of things were going on. I recently was moving into this country. It was also, after a breakup, an important relationship that I was having. And I was, like, going through a lot of things.
And the thing that back there, it was like I couldn't do anything else. I always say that painting actually healed me, and I survived because of painting, because it was the only thing that I wanted to do. Like, back then, the only thing that I could do was either painting or writing songs. And back then, I asked myself this simple question that, do you really want to heal her? Do you really want to get over? And of course, the answer was yes. And it's a simple question, but it's powerful, trust me. Because sometimes we answer yes, but we do things that go the other way. So writing songs were not helping to me because each song was, like, digging a big hole, a bigger hole. And of course, people were, like, really excited. Oh, my gosh, all the songs are going to be better and everything. But I just wanted to get out. And for me, writing songs was, like, just remembering everything. So it was not helping. So I decided just to go with painting. And to be honest, I just wanted to paint.
There was not a reason for me to.
Why am I doing this? It was just something intuitive in me that actually just helped me. Probably was like a meditation process that I was going through, and it was my way of expressing somehow. But seriously, it was the only thing that I wanted to do.
So I just kept going into that path.
And of course, the painting, the process was very beautiful because it allowed me to heal in a way that I couldn't imagine.
And it was very powerful just coming. Because when I was painting, I asked myself.
I've always been super positive, super optimistic since I was a kid, but back then I wasn't. And I asked myself, like, how can I bring that back? How can I bring back that fear?
And I was like, I need to do it. And I remember this beautiful phrase that when I was a kid, it's very simple but powerful. And it says that you have to give out love in order to receive it. And it was like, how can I give out something that I'm not feeling? And trust me, it's hard because I wasn't feeling that. And I was like, you know what?
[00:07:54] Speaker A: Fair.
[00:07:55] Speaker B: I'm going to convince myself that I'm gonna give out love through My paintings. And somehow that would be my way of giving out love. So when people receive my painting, it would be my way. And I'll receive love in return, somehow from the universe. And at the beginning, it wasn't hearts. It was, like, everything super abstract, like waves and lines and everything.
But literally, just one night, I was just doing one wave, and somehow the other one. Like, they face each other and just created the first heart. And that's how everything started. And I always say that if I knew all the blessings that I was going to receive after this, after I created these hearts, maybe I wouldn't have suffered that much or I would have complained that much, but maybe I would have created them. So I sometimes.
[00:08:45] Speaker A: Sometimes our suffering is part of what makes us who we are, and it makes us appreciate what we can then do or spill out into life. So let me ask you about that first heart. Corazon Defer. Right, the name of it.
[00:08:58] Speaker B: Yeah. Correct.
[00:09:00] Speaker A: And so you. You told me about the process of making the waves, and two waves met together and made the heart. But I want to go to the emotion real quick. What were you feeling in that moment? Was it some type of relief? Anxiety? Fear? Rage? Peace?
That moment when the hearts connect. I guess your epiphany moment. What was the emotion?
[00:09:19] Speaker B: Well, to be honest, I think a lot of things were going on, but I need to be honest. I was, like, really sad. I know some right now it can sound, like, very positive and optimistic, but, no, back then, I was just painting, and I was, like, very, very sad. And I even created the first heart. And I was like, this is too literal. Like, it's too literal for what I'm aiming for. I was not looking for a heart.
And I was like, maybe this is not what it is, but I don't know, somehow I just. I just trust the process. I posted on Instagram, people started, like, sharing a lot of messages about that, and I was like, maybe it has a message for me. And that's why I actually called it corazon de fer, which is first heart in Spanish, because that's how I wanted to see my heart. I wasn't pursuing a career. I wasn't pursuing a project or something. I really just wanted to heal.
That's how I wanted to see my heart. That's why I called it like that. And then I started painting more hearts, and. And people were like, what's the name? And I was like, corazon de fer. So all of them, they were corazon de fer, because that's how I wanted to See myself. And of course, right now, I still call them Corazon de Fer because it's a reminder for me. Of course, I add, like, more things to the title, but of course, it's part of that process.
And each heart has a message. Like, I always say that it reminds people something from them. Like, probably you have something in your life that you don't like about it. And sometimes in a heart, probably you don't like pink, but it has a dot of pink. But if you focus on that dot, you're not gonna see the big picture. And it matters if you step back and you see the big picture and you see that it's beautiful and that's us. Like, it matters when we see the whole pictures and we're beautiful. So I don't know. It has a lot of messages, everything that I do with my art. And that's why I incorporate a lot of textures and a lot of colors, because I love to put that in my messaging and to remind people about that.
[00:11:17] Speaker A: I like that a lot. So we've got about just 20 or 30 seconds, and it sounds like you may have answered it. Maybe Instagram was the answer. But what point did you realize that the hearts that were healing you were also speaking to other people and possibly healing and helping them?
[00:11:32] Speaker B: Believe it or not, it's. It's. It's more. I think it's more powerful than that. I. When I started seeing my nephews, my nieces, and people that I knew, every time they would see a heart, they would say corazon de fair, and they were not mine. So it was, like, beautiful when people reminded me how powerful just a heart can be, because I was just portraying a message for them and for me. So I guess that's. That's when it started to make sense for me, to be honest.
[00:11:59] Speaker A: When you saw it rippling through your family, I love that. Well, that's a great place for us to put a pin. We got to cut to commercial break real quick, but everyone stay tuned. We're going to be back for more of this. We're going to get a lot deeper into this journey and have a lot more to save from our excellent friend here. Sit tight. You'll be back with more pivotal Change after this.
[00:12:37] Speaker B: Foreign.
[00:12:48] Speaker A: Welcome back to Pivotal Change. And if you want more media like this, more shows, more content, you can download us on the Now Media TV app. You can also go to Roku, Amazon. You can find us an iOS software. You can catch the podcast on Now Media TV. We have launched this stuff everywhere, and the Nice part is if you are driving, you are someplace where you can't just watch the show. You can listen to my wonderful voice as you drive or fly. So go ahead and go to NOW Media TV and you can find shows like this. Culture, art, business, leadership, all kinds of influence, whatever suits your tastes. We're going to continue on with my friend Fara now. I brought him in on the first segment. He's going to be with us all day. He is a Venezuelan Portuguese visual artist that is based out of New York and has now become a global influence for his hearts. So fur, welcome back after the break.
[00:13:38] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you, Ryan.
[00:13:40] Speaker A: Yep. So it's a very fun conversation we're having. We got a bit of your origin story or I'd say maybe the turning point, not necessarily your full origin story, but I want to kind of keep going on with the segment right here of the cortisone day Fur, you know, that started resonating globally with people and what was the first moment where you realized it was having that larger scale impact and you maybe thought, this isn't just mine anymore.
There's a lot of people that, that are appreciating this.
[00:14:08] Speaker B: I think when actually when I, when I did my first mural here in New York, to be honest, I think when, when that opportunity came, I started to see everything that was happening on my social media and all the attacks that I was getting after that one. And I started like receiving messages from so many people. Of course, I mean, New York, you. You get a lot of tourists from around the world.
[00:14:30] Speaker A: You.
[00:14:30] Speaker B: So it actually helped me a lot.
And I don't know, I loved that always my message, I always said that it's simple, it's just a heart.
And I know is that. And it's very simple for kids. It's very simple for any cultures. And I love that it's actually a message that you can just replicate and you can share.
So I think after my first mural in New York and even though that was after probably four or five years after the first one that I. That I created, I mean, of course there's so many different moments that in my career, I can tell you that of course it took me to another place before that one. It was when Adriana Lima is a Victoria's Secret top model. She shared my. My art with her, with everyone. I was featuring people in Spanish and espanol and also just the People magazine. Of course it was a lot of things going on. But I don't know, I think, I think just every moment amazed Me in a different way. And, and I appreciate every, every single dot. As Steve Jobs used to say, like, you, you. You are able to. To put the dots together when you go backwards. So, of course, like, there's so many things that, that I could tell you.
[00:15:41] Speaker A: I like that a lot. So, speaking of, like, the, you know, the mural, that's something, you know, I, I go to various cities and we see murals all over. I think that's, you know, cultural thing, not just globally, but in the United States. It's pretty impactful to see these murals. And I remember see ever in Hawaii, in Waikiki, Hawaii, there's an entire skyscraper that's a single mural on one side. It's supposed to be the largest mural in the world as far as building mural. And, you know, I'm just thinking about your mural being there. You're going to have people walk by and see your art consciously or subconsciously every single day. You know, what changes in you or does anything change in you as an artist? When an audience literally gets to see you and you get to see them just walking by and observing your art every day.
[00:16:26] Speaker B: If you see from that perspective, you need to take that into account, to be honest. And it's funny you're asking me that question, and I didn't ask myself that question when I created that mural. I guess it was just good luck. And when you're saying it makes total sense that I use vivid colors because, of course, I wanted to bring attention to people and I want to make them stop. And, and that's totally true when you're actually just walking by you as an artist. Well, that was my, of course, my goal, to grab their attention. Because of course, like, you're walking by, you're probably not paying attention, but I really wanted to grab their attention because I wanted to share a message. And actually, that first mural, I exposed one of my projects, that one was called the Machine of Love.
And I really needed them to stop because it was kind of like to be part of the mural if you see it. I mean, it's not live anymore. But of course I have pictures.
But it was a heart with wings. Of course you can take pictures in front of. But on the two sides, there was one side that it says on top giving, and there was another size that it said receiving. And the idea you would see, like, two hands painted on the wall so you could take a picture just putting your hands like that, either receiving or either given. Because, of course, that's how it is. You have to give out in order to receive it. So if you feel like you wanted to give, you will stand, of course, on the side of giving. And if you wanted to receive, of course, on the other side. And now that you're saying that, it all makes sense, because that's true. You will need to take that into consideration if you really want to grab their attention. But it's awesome. It's another way to share your art with people just, just walking by. And I was very lucky enough to, to have that. Of course, to be honest, I like that.
[00:18:17] Speaker A: So let me see here. Love, hope, resilience. Those are three of the main things that your hearts carry as a message. How do you keep that from becoming just like a slogan or, or something that you know that that continues to carry its meaning as you grow and scale your art and your impact?
[00:18:35] Speaker B: To be honest, I think I don't.
I, I don't think about that because it's. I'm genuinely like that, to be honest. It's not something that I'm portraying or just pretending because of my art. As I told you, like, the way I created it was just genuinely. It was something for me, to be honest. I just wanted to heal and, and I always been like this. I. Every single day. I mean, probably not every single day, but most of the time I like to try to do it every single day.
I see myself, what am I doing? If I catch myself thinking negative or maybe gossiping or maybe judging. I'm a human being, of course I do every little things, but if I catch myself, I am like, oh, probably I'm thinking like that. And if I see myself probably receiving so many different news that I probably don't want or don't like, I ask myself, what am I doing? What am I doing to get this? And I try to. Of course I always see myself. So to be honest, I am not afraid of thinking about that because it's actually part of me.
It's something if you, I mean, you've, you know me, but if any other person knows me and gets me anywhere, any other place, it's always going to be the same person, always going to be sharing the same message. And yeah, that's why I love what I do, because it's really part of my personality.
[00:20:05] Speaker A: So it's never going to be a slogan, it's always going to be you. That's what I'm hearing. I love that. So let's talk about maybe some, some bigger media moments that you've had, positive or negative. I don't want to, I'm never The rub the salt in the wound type. But I do want to hear the story about you had a heart mural that was stolen and soho, you know, did that teach you? Were there any lessons that you took out of that? Whether it's just protecting your work or being appreciated or just as an artist. What are, what are the lessons? Artist, human, business owner that you took?
[00:20:36] Speaker B: How do you know about that? I don't share much about that, to be honest.
Yeah, it was. To be honest, it was very frustrating.
And it's funny because when that happened, I started receiving all these messages.
[00:20:54] Speaker A: That's very good.
[00:20:55] Speaker B: Fair. It's because you're importance, because people like your art, because they want to have it.
I understand that backstory and that meaning, but it's still frustrating. It's something I created. It's something that it didn't even last one day.
I built entire, because it was an entire corner. That was after Covid, it was the oldest stores in New York. They were buttered up with the wood panels, so they wanted to make that corner beautiful. And I painted the entire corner.
And it took me a week to finish because it was big.
And it finished on Friday and Saturday morning, 6:00am, I think 5:00am or something. Just this truck came in and these people pretended to be like workers, I guess, and they just unload the things and put it in their truck and just head out. It was funny enough that the police was literally next to them. And of course they didn't even notice it, but it was not even on for one day. And when I received that news, I was.
Because of course it was something that I created. And to be honest, I never ever thought that that could happen to me.
I don't think of those things. I'm like, no. I mean, who's gonna do that?
And after that happened, I was like, wow, I need to take care more of the things that I expose. So I guess it was also a moment to reflect that, to. To take that into account and to protect also myself and the things that I create, because those things can happen.
[00:22:28] Speaker A: And let me ask this question. You've got people at least in 20 different countries that have collected your art. You know, you've got some in Kentucky and. And some other places in the world. Real quick. Just maybe it may be a brief summary statement. What do you think that people, what do you hope people are thinking when they buy your art? Are they helping connect with just the color schemes, the story, the identity, the hope, all of the above?
[00:22:55] Speaker B: I mean, of course, in the art world, the big Important thing is investing. Of course, I know a lot of people do for that, but in my experience, the way I connect with most of my collectors and the way I like to do it is a connection, to be honest, I.
It's in my experience, I want to say 95% of my collectors, they come back, they are always like, looking out, what am I doing?
They want to get like another piece because they feel connected with my art somehow in their lives. Because everyone, we all need love, we all need that message. It's not something that I'm inventing. And I guess, of course, they're reminded of that powerful message. They, they share me stories, they change the art to another house. They bought a beach house and they put in a special room and they send me pictures. And I love that communication because it's very important and it gives a. A big meaning for my art and I love that. So I generally think is. Is a communication in the message and
[00:23:55] Speaker A: we're connected in that communication and connection. And speaking of connection, let's do this real quick. If people wanted to connect with you, find your website, Instagram, any way that they can appreciate and connect with your. Where would they find that? Where would they do that before we have to cut to break?
[00:24:09] Speaker B: It's very simple. Like my Instagram, Tik Tok and website is my name Ferda Silva. My website is ferda Silva.com. actually, you can see there my last collection that I did an exhibition called the Quartz Era. And yeah, my Instagram is just Ferda Silva at Ferda Silva and Tik Tok Silva everywhere. Just Ferda Silva.
[00:24:33] Speaker A: I love that. That's perfect. So, guys, check out his information right here. We're only halfway through the show and we're going to get into the business owner side affair here in just a little bit. So sit tight. We'll be back with more pivotal change right after this message.
Foreign.
Welcome back. You've reached the halfway point and overcome that. Now we are on what we call the downhill slide. But there is plenty of good information on this episode of pivotal change to go. My friend Fair to Silva has been sharing his story about his hardships, how he got into the canvases and the art, some of his bigger moments, some of his breakthrough moments, some of his hardships, even with the loss of some art that got taken. And we're just transitioning now into a very interesting question because we talked about slogans and how your personality will never become a slogan because it is you. But there's sometimes as people grow, artists grow, anyone grow There might be a time where you have to say no. Whether that's to avoid diluting your message or overstretching yourself. Is there a time that you can tell us when it was important for you to tell no or what the impact of telling no can be?
[00:26:07] Speaker B: Wow.
I mean, it actually comes since I was an actor, I think I learned that the hard way and, and he actually taught me for the art world.
One time I was living in Miami and I was acting, doing this theater plays and I accepted this play that I didn't like it and I was rehearsing, I didn't like it until the last day of the show. I really wanted to quit, but I couldn't do it. I did the entire season not enjoying it, didn't want to invite anyone to actually see me. And people like some people went, oh, it's alright. I'm like, but I don't like it. And to be honest, from that moment I really learned. I know it sounds like probably simple, but it was powerful for me to say no when you really don't feel like it and actually just happened recently. I was invited to.
It was kind of an entertainment thing, play something where I was also going to paint and do something.
And it wasn't, I think everything that, the way it was portraying, I wasn't not feeling like it was very well produced. And I'm not saying in a big scale, I'm saying in a formal way, the way that I like. Because it's a structure and I think there's a shortcut to learn how to say yes or no. And my former manager, he's a really good friend right now, always, if it's bringing something, if it's adding something positive to your career, do it. If it's not, don't do it. It's simple and trust me, sometimes a little thing you think is not adding anything, but you still want to do it, but no, it's actually probably taking your energy. So just say no and it's fine. Because of course you need to take into consideration yourself first and you're not being selfish with other ones. Because sometimes when you say yes to other one to not being selfish, you start being selfish to you. So you need to, you need to respect that. And of course it's a career. So every decision and every time you say yes or no, it affects, it has something in your career.
[00:28:27] Speaker A: I like that.
I really like that balance and that simple, I guess you got to hit a pause button and force yourself to have that thought process of is it adding Is it taking away? Am I being selfish? Or am I giving back in the way that I'm supposed to be given back? So. Okay, well, let me. Let me ask this. So it's about being an artist, about being true to yourself and things like that. How do you decide? Is there a process you go through to determine what is on brand for you for fair versus what? Maybe just trending in the art world and you're. You're following some type of fad or wave?
[00:29:01] Speaker B: I. I mean, for me, I. I have never just follow anything that is trendy. I. I think it's. I mean, I know some artists can be doing it, but I think it's hard for me because then you're, like, losing your creation path. I mean, it's. It's hard to.
To say, but I. I don't think I. I follow trends. I do understand what my collectors probably have shared. I do hear what people share about my art and, of course, listen to that.
But I guess it comes to a point that everything that I create, I do it no matter what the market would do. Like, if I'm doing something because it means something for me, even though I don't know how the market or my collectors or the people are going to react to, but I still feel that I want to do it, I'll do it. And actually, especially last year, I was going to. Through a grief moment. My grandpa died. And of course, it was. He was like my second father. And it was kind of like a second warning of a big depression that I probably was going through, of course, in a grief time. And I created this collection that it was called Equilibrium, and it was meaningful for me. And it has nothing to do with the hearts. If you see it. It's just this kind of like, rocks, you know, this balancing rocks that you see on the. On the beach. Of course, these were created by me. They're different. They're, on balance, the entire sculpture. But. But still.
And what I wanted to share is that I was looking for equilibrium, and I think everyone is looking for that. And, of course, was I afraid of sharing something that I didn't know how people were going to react to? Yes, but I. It was something that I needed to do and I wanted to do, and I. And I guess I take those things into considerations to just be. I don't know, a little bit brave to try to just get out of your comfort zone.
[00:31:00] Speaker A: Like, I like that. That, I think is great advice for everybody is be brave and get out of your comfort zone. Whether it's Art, you're getting into sports, you're taking a calculated risk in business, or you're looking for love and you want to ask somebody out on a date, right? Be brave. Get out of your comfort zone. So you had mentioned something briefly, and I did not know about your grandfather, so that I'm. My condolences sincerely for that. But it does. It does make me think about knowing your background, what you've shared with us, walk us through kind of what a real week looks like for you. You know, how do you balance, you know, your creation time, your business time, your recovery time, and are there things that you personally have to do to avoid slipping back in any of that darkness or depression?
[00:31:41] Speaker B: I mean, of course, when these big things happens, it's something different.
But to be honest, I think you need to see yourself in what you're good at and what you need help with. And personally, I need help with structure.
I kind of have, like, adhd, so my mind goes all over the place. On one point is good. So it's something that I learned in therapy. I mean, of course, it helps me with my creativity. It's fine. I embrace it. But I understand that sometimes is not helping me, probably my career or in my business, that I need some type of a structure.
So I try to have a little bit of structures. There are things that I have to do that I learned to do actually, every every Monday, my partner, my husband, which is Alex, you know him, he's, of course, my. My business partner. He helps me a lot with the business. We have a meeting every single Monday, kind of like, no matter what. Of course, there's some Mondays that we probably skip, but every single Monday, we have a meeting in terms of what we're doing, what we're gonna do, and we kind of like, plan, try to plan that. And that's something that we started, I want to say, last year.
And we've been always, like, improving. And of course, something that I also do.
I go to therapy probably once every two weeks or every three weeks. I've been going through therapy since, I don't know, three or four years ago.
And it's something that helps me a lot. And I always say that to people. People were like, I went to therapy, didn't like, well, if you go to a doctor, it doesn't mean that medicine doesn't work. You change the doctor. If you went to a therapist and it didn't work, you didn't like it, you change the therapist. But it does work. It does help to understand your mind and what you're doing. And it's a training. And I do a lot of things, to be honest, I need structure, so I look for structure because I'm not a structure guy.
[00:33:38] Speaker A: But artists that needs help with structure. I couldn't have guessed. Right.
[00:33:42] Speaker B: Yeah. Alex is. My husband is not a structure. So he is the opposite, you know, a little bit.
[00:33:50] Speaker A: That's right. Natalie and I, we. We play off each other on that as, you know, something too, which is really fun. So I like the structure. I like the balance. You have a lot of. You didn't say the word self reflection, but the word self reflection in there and filling in those gaps that you know you need. And then I really like that you have these meetings, these like official meetings, whether it's business or relationship, to move things forward in the right direction. So the right direction probably for most artists is, you know, to get more of your influence, get more of your art out there and have people appreciate it and take the meaning that you've been explaining to us. So, you know, you've gotten into a larger audience and you can tell me a little bit about what that took. But you also do a lot of giving back. I personally know that you are a major giver. You're very charity focused. So you've done stuff at charity auctions. We actually got to. I think it was your first ever interactive piece where the audience came and helped create it.
[00:34:40] Speaker B: Is that.
[00:34:40] Speaker A: Is that correct?
[00:34:40] Speaker B: Yeah. Interactively, yes. Yeah.
[00:34:42] Speaker A: So. So when. When I asked about, like, hey, is it okay if the Lady Sprinkle that became your first ever interactive piece, what gets you into the heart of giving back and the charity and how does that carry through with. With your message and for growing and expanding your impact?
[00:34:56] Speaker B: Yeah, because as you said, using your word, balancing, it's my way of giving back. And to be honest, as I said before I started these hearts for something personal, I just wanted to heal.
I was not planning any of this. I was not planning to build a career. I just wanted to get over it. So every time I get to help someone with my art, it's a reminder that I'm also doing this to help others. And it gives a purpose. And of course, it already I say this into quote because of course I'm still like growing. It already helped me. So now that I get to help other people, it's just amazing. I think is a lifetime goal and it's something that I enjoy doing. And I always say that if I see a foundation that I get related to and I love what they do and I'm passionate about know I'm happy to support because this heart saved me. How can I just keep it to myself and not save others?
[00:35:59] Speaker A: You know, I like that. So give me just a real quick 30 second response. Maybe one piece of advice to start people out on that journey. If you were talking to a new or young artist, what's one piece of business advice? You'd say, make sure to do this as you start your journey.
[00:36:15] Speaker B: Oh, study marketing.
I think 99% of artists don't consider that. We always go, oh, no, I'm an artist, I'm into creating. You need to understand it's a business and you need to learn about that.
And most of us, I call myself artists. We have no idea about marketing. We have no idea about that. And yeah, I know a lot of people hate that. Now you're not an artist then. No, it's a business.
If you really want to pursue that and, and you need marketing, you need to, how, how to market yourself in order for more people to want to know your art.
[00:36:51] Speaker A: That's great advice. I love that. I appreciate you sharing that. Get into marketing. I think everybody. But let's put a pin again right here. We're going to move into our final segment of the night after these breaks. Stay tuned for more pivotal Change right after this.
Sam welcome back to Pivotal Change. Now if you're interested in finding more content, more episodes and hitting some real turning points in your life and career, you want to stream now Media tv. You can get it live or on demand and you can get it with our free app. Find that on Roku or iOS and you can listen to the podcast anytime, anywhere, so long as you have data or wi fi. Now Media TV that you're seeing on the screen is the place to find not only pivotal change, but all of the TV network stuff. Bilingual language, English and Spanish, anytime brought to you. So that leads us into our final segment of the night. We've been having this excellent conversation with a international artist, FA De Silva. Start one final segment. So let's try to, I'm going to try to end with an impact and I'm going to try to ask you some of the stuff, not just what you make, you know, making your own story, being your own main character, as people like to say, but what we can unlock for some other people. So, you know, some of the questions have been deep, but I do want to go onto the emotional side of things because not just being an artist is stressful, but being a business owner, a family member, husband, wife, parent, Child, all of these things are stressful and people can slip emotionally. What is an early warning sign where you maybe have caught yourself that tells you that, like, hey, I need to slow down, or I need to fix something that might help another person catch that in themselves?
[00:38:55] Speaker B: Wow.
Probably have many answers to that.
[00:39:00] Speaker A: Give me the top one or two.
[00:39:02] Speaker B: I mean, the way I see myself again, I think if I start catching myself, probably not accomplishing or not receiving the kind of news that I'm expecting. I try to see what am I doing and what the patterns are.
But. But to be honest, I don't. I don't go into the dramatic road.
What I actually do is actually noticing the good things, because that's also helpful.
I always tell Alex, if you believe in law of attraction and everything, whatever that you wish is happening, you need to catch also yourself when whatever you wish for, you're actually seeing on the streets? And it's a training. I always.
It goes either way. If you catch yourself, like, seeing a lot of things that probably you don't like, also catch yourself seeing the things that you want. Because we start, like, thinking that, oh, I don't have the power. No, we all have it. And that's how it is. I think for me, I try to train my brain and myself to catch when I tell you, Ryan, is every single little detail. Probably if I talked right now to you about, I don't know, an ice cream, and then like, just that simple, I just walk out and see an ice cream shop, I would be like, oh, I was talking about ice cream. I know it's. It sounds probably simple and dumb and probably stupid to some people, but that's how I know whatever we talk about, whatever we see, whatever we. We think we're actually seeing in our. In. In our reality. So that's why I. I take that into consideration. That's.
[00:40:39] Speaker A: Why do you put in some boundaries in place for yourself to. To protect? Like, what are you protecting fiercely? Not necessarily just on the em either with your time, with the content and the media and what you're putting out there. What. Give me a boundary or two that complements what you just said.
[00:40:58] Speaker B: So, I mean, it actually happens every time I visit my parents. They are watching the news every single time during the day, like, I'm walking by, I hear, like, all the bad news. I'm like, mom, just switch that. I mean, it goes to your brain, whatever you're listening to. And it's not only that, it gets worse because of course, like, they repeat the entire thing the entire day so probably if you're into a group that they're talking about things that you don't want, just get out. I mean, if you're broke and you're into a group that are complaining about money, how do you think you're gonna get out?
If you are, I don't know, you want to be an actor, then you're with a group of actors that are complaining all the business. I don't get any castings, I'm not getting any manager. I don't get what do you think is going to happen to you. So yes, I love that word that you said, boundaries. You have to protect yourself who you are surrounded with. And actually I can attach that to your question about when you say no. You also need to learn how to say no when you go to probably events, probably to people. Trust me, it happens. Sometimes I'm in an event and this person probably comes to me and I started like feeling weird. I'm like, why am I feeling like this? Like, like I feel like, like this, this person. I mean not in a bad way. Like it's dumping all the garbage, like all the, the negativity just on me. Just of course to say. And I'm like, I don't want to hear that. Not in a selfish way. Again, if I, if I see that that is affecting me, I need to walk away and respectfully.
[00:42:32] Speaker A: And then let me jump in real quick because you said something that I think a lot of people struggle with is that me putting up a boundary could be selfish. But I don't think protecting yourself and putting a boundary is selfish. And if people maybe have that idea, you can dismiss it. Boundaries are boundaries. You know, being selfish is eating the last slice of cake when you didn't pay for the cake. That's selfish. Right? You know those, those are different.
[00:42:53] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah, correct, exactly as, as I told you like sometimes, yeah, being selfish. I mean it's a probably the way you see it because yeah, you are probably being selfish to someone if you say from that perspective. But you're all. But then if you accept it, you're being selfish to yourself, to your self team, to your younger self, to whatever in you. So yeah, it, it's not, it's not about being selfish. It's actually, it's a self love to actually just love yourself to put a boundary. But yeah, that's needed.
[00:43:27] Speaker A: I like that self love and those boundaries. So we're going back in though. You've been featured in a lot of areas we're talking about a little bit of emotional tolls and emotional backsliding, things like that. But maybe not even emotions. Even if it's a business perspective, you've been in some major media, you've got some high profile people that know your art, you run in some high profile circles. What is a pressure that people don't see that comes along with that?
Huh?
[00:43:54] Speaker B: Different things, to be honest.
Of course you probably need to take care of yourself sometimes. And that's something I, I sometimes do in my social media.
I know a lot of people say, ah, this is my social media, I can say whatever I want. I'm like, no, I think of course you can say whatever you want, but you need to, that it has consequences, that you don't know who's watching, you don't know who's listening to your message. And actually that happened to me with a little girl that I would never forget. And it helps me to say that message. I was once saying this in a story that you never know what's going on in people's heart.
And that was just a message I was sharing. And that's why you need to take that into consideration. Blah, blah, blah.
One month after, whatever, this couple, they're friends of my parents, they were visiting them and I wasn't in my parents house and this mom of the little girl comes to me like, tell Farah, tell what you learned from him. And I'm like, yeah, what do you learn? And she was like, that you never know what's going on in people's heart. And I'm like, wow.
So I mean, I'm saying that I'm getting good sponsors because it's very powerful. I mean, whatever you're doing, whatever you're saying in your Instagram, in an event or whatever, you have no idea the impact that can actually have in people's life and actually happened with a friend of mine two months ago or something. We're having this dinner, whatever, a group of friends, and actually we're talking about depression. And that's most of the time you don't know that that person is going through that. And you need to be very, very careful with that because I mean, I wish that people would have, you know, for being brave enough to show them at least to cry. Most people don't even show that. And then the day after that one, like the next morning my friend's wife texted me, like, farrah, you have no idea. He told me he started crying last night, that he was going through a bad depression that he didn't even want to share with me. He couldn't even share. And, and you share that and you never know. And I'm like, you see, you need to be very careful of what you're saying because, and I, and, and I always say that message, you never know what's going on in people's heart. So yeah, that's a great message.
[00:46:18] Speaker A: That, that's a, that's a great message.
[00:46:20] Speaker B: So yeah, yeah, yeah, you need to, you need to be careful because of course, whatever you do, it has a consequence and you need to protect your business, your brand, whatever you're, you, you want to, to share with your message.
[00:46:32] Speaker A: That really is a great message. Which makes me come up to probably my final question of the night. And it's about messages as well. Said if you had access to paint one message on every wall in every major city in America, what message would you put on that wall for every person that walks by to read? Go word for word, if you could.
[00:46:54] Speaker B: Wow.
Oh, it's hard because I, I have three phrases.
I mean, I mean, probably quickly and, and I'll tell you why. The first one would be the, the first one that I started using when I was sharing my first heart. And I would always put love plus art can save lives. And of course that was something for me. And then I changed that to just putting just love. I think it's, I, every time I sign my, my works letter, everything, I just put just love. FERDA SILVA and, and because it's simple, it's just a message, just, just love. But I think one powerful that I always say is, and I know a lot of psychologists would hate me for that because they don't agree, most of them, that love is a decision.
And I always say that because you can, you can choose to love where you live, what you do and how you do it. And the day of today, even though the weather, you don't like it probably, probably is raining, but you probably get to choose. Oh, nice. So the plants now has water. Trust me, it's simple. But I think it's a decision.
So I think if people would go into that and thinking that they can choose to love, I think we can have, yeah, I'm sure, like better lives, better human beings, better world.
[00:48:22] Speaker A: I agree with you completely. I think love is a choice. Love is a commitment, love is a decision. I think you and I are the exact same wavelength right there. So real quick as we end the night, I do want to see where people can get a hold of you. They can maybe get in contact with you, appreciate your art and see your art. But where can we find you? Tell us one more time.
[00:48:40] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, if you want to shoot me an email, I love reading all of them. It's very simple. It's just infoerdasilva.com and all my social media and my website is just my name ferdasilva.com my website, my Instagram, my tick tock are just at Ferdasilva. And yeah, again, my, my email infoerdasilva.com all the messages, of course.
[00:49:05] Speaker A: Thank you so much for coming on the show tonight. It's been truly a treat and I look forward to seeing you again soon.
And for everyone else out there, you could possibly get to where you get one of these special made hearts from Fair and it's a reminder to be grateful. So I'm grateful for you coming on the show. To everyone else watching, that's going to wrap up the episode. I want you to go out into the world and I want you to see the change and be the change. And we'll catch you right here next time on Pivotal Change.
