Beauty in Strength: An Interview With Model Jessi Silva
By Lea Byrnes
Jessi Silva is an Arizona-based model with an inspiring story of hope, perseverance, and the healing power of creativity in our lives. Jessi is a 26-year-old professional model who describes herself as “a strong, adventurous, and determined” person. Despite dealing with severe chronic health challenges at such a young age, Jessi has a beautifully positive mindset and a heart that wants to inspire others. With her striking features and passion for her work, Jessi has quickly grown in her career since starting to model a few years ago. Her journey began after she answered a modeling call on Facebook, which eventually led her to finding more modeling opportunities and expanding her portfolio. Throughout her career, Jessi has explored a vast array of artistic themes and styles, but some of her favorites include western, fantasy, and vintage.
Image by Nanushka Photography
Born and raised in Nevada, Jessi is a true country girl with a passion for country dancing and rodeo, both of which she has loved since she was a little girl. She has been competing in rodeos for her whole life and has won various awards over the years, even holding Rodeo Queen titles. “I currently compete in team roping and breakaway,” she tells us. As a person of many diverse hobbies and talents, Jessi incorporates some of her other interests into her modeling. Her horse, Pete, has even been featured in multiple photoshoots with her! In addition to western-themed photoshoots, Jessi also enjoys fun themes of fantasy, such as mermaid photoshoots. “I have many different hobbies that I enjoy,” she says. “As an artist I try to be as adventurous and outgoing as possible. I love trying new and creative concepts and taking any and every opportunity to grow.” Jessi’s growth in her career has continued to flourish in recent years, as she has become more and more connected in the modeling world. “After being selected to model for that photographer,” she says, “I joined a couple Facebook pages and answered a couple more model calls that were posted; then decided to audition for Contagion Media, and things kinda took off from there. Between freelancing and Contagion, my styles definitely grew.”
Image by KBR, Set Design by Humble Events AZ
As much as she has grown in her modeling career, it has not been without challenges and setbacks that Jessi has had to overcome. “One of my biggest challenges in my journey has been my health,” she shares. “I have a chronic Illness called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (or POTS for short) which comes with many other underlying medical issues in itself. It’s my biggest challenge because it’s such an unpredictable illness. I can be having a great day and have a shoot scheduled, and one minor thing I do earlier that day can lay me out for a week or two. It makes it hard to stay consistent in creating content and staying connected. I would do a solid two or three weeks of nonstop shoots and then would be out of the game for over a month or two because my body just couldn’t keep up. I have slowly been learning to manage the condition. I have had 6 heart surgeries since I was first diagnosed and I now have a pacemaker and chest port that allow me to keep my heart steady and give myself IV fluids to help recover faster. It’s been a long journey, but I’m learning to live around it.”
Jessi’s story is an inspiration to people everywhere, as she is living proof that it is possible to achieve our dreams even in the face of challenges and circumstances that are out of our control. About her advice to other aspiring artists or models, Jessi says, “It sounds so cliché, but never give up and don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone is going to be at different levels around you, and sometimes you may not feel like you’re good enough or that you’re not doing enough, but you have to keep fighting for yourself and believe in yourself to never give up. Being confident in yourself and learning from those around you is one of the biggest keys in growing as an artist.” Gaining confidence as an artist is a journey, and Jessi is a beautiful example of how we can succeed if we do not give up on our passion.
Image by A.Eye Photo
For Jessi, the best part about modeling is being a part of a diverse, creative community of fellow artists. “What I love about the community is there’s always people to cheer you on and help you out. I have had so many amazing people take time from their day to set up sessions with me to improve my posing or to just work on my confidence, and it’s an amazing community to be a part of.” Jessi’s genuine love for her work shines through each photograph in her portfolio, and her captivating talent is undeniable. “I’m hoping that my art impacts the world by inspiring others to know that you don’t have to have one certain style,” she says. “You can excel at many different styles in modeling. Also, I hope it inspires others that are going through the same medical challenges that they can achieve their dreams and that it is possible. It may take a little longer, but it is possible.”
Jessi has already accomplished so much in her career, and her future holds even more new and exciting opportunities! “I’m currently working on a comeback,” she shares. “I have been away from the modeling scene for almost a year now. I’m working on rebuilding and updating my portfolio and bettering myself to be better than ever.” In recent weeks, Jessi has continued to work with Contagion and create even more stunning content. When we asked Jessi what her fans can expect from her in the near future, she replied, “My fans can expect one heck of a comeback! I’m hoping to be more present and start making a lot more content and inspiring as many people as I can along the way.” With her talent, perseverance, and dedication to her craft, there is no doubt that Jessi Silva will indeed continue to inspire everyone who follows her modeling journey.
