We’re looking forward to introducing you to Faith (F.K.E) Escarda . Check out our conversation below.
Hi Faith (F.K.E), thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Life has a funny way of bringing you out of your routine. One minute, everything is going perfectly according to schedule, and the next, you’re hit with a little detour.
Recently, I was asked to dog sit for two weeks, and while I expected to be slightly thrown off schedule, I never imagined the laughter and pure joy that would come from caring for two dogs. Kona, a goldendoodle and the youngest of the two, insists on being carried, pet, and loved almost 24/7. She is hyperactive, loves to try and grab my paint brush, and must sniff every single drink I serve myself to make sure it’s safe.
Nutella, a schnauzer, is calm and likes to sit next to my seat in the studio, occasionally coming over to receive attention and stare at my painting sideways in an attempt to decide what she’s looking at.
Thanks to these cuties, my normal day looks like morning, afternoon, and evening walks, lots of cuddles, hugs, and painting on the floor to make room for each one to lie next to me. There are more breaks in my day than there have ever been, but there’s a lot more laughter and fun ideas being jotted down in my sketchbook.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Faith, also known as F.K.E., I am the artist and storyteller behind fkepoetryandcreations. I started fkepoetryandcreations in 2023 as a way to bring warmth, joy, and wonder into the lives of others. I use different forms of storytelling like poems, textures, colors, and fantasy elements in my art pieces, turning them into postcards, greeting cards, and art prints for others to share and put up in their homes.
I paint with gouache and colored pencil, sometimes adding some watercolor in the mix. My art style has been described as a burst of color and often includes different brush stroke textures. Every single piece I paint is infused with themes of adventure, joy, and wonder, and is meant to brighten up someone’s day and remind them of the beauty that life and stories have to offer.
My recent summer series, Venturing into the Unknown, is centered around feelings of peace, quiet courage, and adventure. Inviting viewers to step into the unknown, even if they can’t see a clear path ahead. The artworks feature sailboats (a symbol of exploration and adventure) on a journey to the unknown. The series as a whole represents how our future isn’t set in stone and how every day can be the adventure of a lifetime.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
Sitting with a group of strangers is daunting, shaking hands, stumbling words, and quick introductions lead to the search for common ground. A while back, I was sitting with a group of people at a cafe. After a few attempts at small talk, the tension began to break as everyone began sharing about what they love and what they do.
It was during this encounter that I came to realize what fear can actually cost you. You love to paint, but you aren’t that good, so why continue. You’ve always wanted to vlog, but vlogging comes with the potential of looking stupid, so you decide not to even try. Surrounded by strangers in a cafe and hearing the majority say something along the lines of, I love this, but I don’t do it because “insert fear here”, it dawned on me that fear plays a big factor in how we shape our lives.
In that moment, my worldview shifted, and a sense of determination rooted itself in my mind. I was going to create a life for myself doing what I love, and I wasn’t going to let fear lead me to take the safe route.
I always wanted to draw and paint in cafes, but at the time my drawing skills needed a little work and I was scared of people thinking my sketches were ugly. So, the following week I bought a new sketchbook created a rough sketch grabbed my color pencils, and went to my favorite coffee shop to draw. Turns out no one cared about what I was doing, and so the path out of my comfort zone began.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Let’s be honest, we all want a life without suffering. We want money without working, our dream body without lifting, and the end result without the effort, but life doesn’t give you the polished finish without the messy middle.
My art career started from grief. I had a family member in the hospital and wasn’t allowed to visit them because of COVID-19 restrictions. There were moments when I questioned whether they were going to make it out. I was searching for an outlet, a distraction. It was then that I was given a gouache art set for my birthday, and suddenly my love for painting came back. The suffering was bearable, and for the next year or so, I spread joy to other friends and family by giving them cards, snail mail, and artworks.
It’s ironic that my brand is now centered around joy, wonder, and imagination, especially since it didn’t start that way. Suffering is life’s best teacher because it teaches you who you are, how much you can take, and what you turn to to ease the pain.
Over the years suffering has taught me many things success never could four of the main ones are, growth is messy, self-care often looks like discipline, the work it takes to get somewhere is never as glorified as the end result, and God can use the circumstance we don’t want to create a life we do.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What truths are so foundational in your life that you rarely articulate them?
The truths that I’ve built my life on all revolve around Jesus and my faith in him. My faith is what grounds me in both the good times and the uncertain ones. With that said, here are some quiet truths I live by:
God is always present; I don’t often say it or even notice it, but sometimes I’ll catch myself admiring the way the sun flows through the trees, and a silent prayer of thanks will go up for all he’s created.
All people deserve kindness and love. As someone who likes to keep their battles private, I believe that we all have this silent responsibility to treat people kindly. You never know what someone else is going through, and you never know how your actions could affect them.
Words Matter. I was always told to be careful what I say, and I have grown up to realize why. People value what you say, even if you think they don’t care about you. People value the opinions of others. Words can crush people, and they can also lift them up. It doesn’t take much to encourage others.
Creativity and Dreams are not hobbies; they are part of who I am. Everything we create in life carries our voice, and our voice is an expression of who we are. My artwork carries my voice, and I don’t take that lightly.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
They say Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life, but I don’t think that’s true. I think you do what you love, and you won’t ever stop working.
Sun comes through the windows of my art space every morning, and I am always excited to paint my time away. With all the ideas that come to mind, I never really have time to capture them all.
Recently, my ideas and love for what I do have been pouring out onto my sketchbook pages, every messy sketch and color testing sheet makes me want to dance in my chair. To be honest, I do spend a lot of time dancing in my studio, especially while painting and sometimes even packing orders.
On days when it feels like the sun is shining just for me, I spend a few minutes outside sketching on a swing whatever comes to mind, nothing perfect, just having fun with my craft. Later, I will head inside, turn on some music, and prepare my art space for painting. This normally takes up the majority of my day, if not all of it. Then, later on at night, I will spend time printing orders, packaging them, and placing them in the bin for my next trip to the post office.
On days when I head to the post office, I always get really happy thinking about people’s faces when they get their orders, who they’ll share their cards with, and where they will hang their art pieces. I am so happy that I have to reward myself with a little Dunkin Run right after.
It’s great to have a job doing something I love, and it’s amazing to have others love my artwork as well. I am always so thankful for the people who support my business and follow me on my art journey.
Just a few weeks ago, my art piece, A Slight Bend In Reality, became part of the Miami Dade Public Library Art Collection, and sharing that on social media with my followers was awesome. I am so thankful and happy with how far I have come in this art journey, the people who support me, and the blessings that are yet to come.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fkepoetryandcreations.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fkecreations?igsh=MXUyd2NvZ3J6NTg2aQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@fkecreations
- Other: Esty: https://fkecreations.etsy.com
Pinterest: https://pin.it/3aNcYUgyQ
