By Kevin Hogencamp, Contributing Writer
Bruno Silva’s sights were set on someday traveling the world, particularly the United States and Europe.
But, first things first.
Silva wanted to add a lighting system to the popular theatrical shows and parties he hosted in the garage of his family’s home in Brasilia, the federal capital of Brazil.
“I had a three-in-one stereo system, but there wasn’t any lighting to make things more fun,” Silva said.
Or money — he was just 13.
So, Silva decided to make his own lights.
He used coffee cans, 60-watt bulbs, color gels and Scotch tape.
He ran wires to make a switchboard that controlled as many as 24 lights of various hues.
Silva was a lighting professional in the making.
With light shows added to the mix, his events began getting bigger and bigger.
“I was the DJ and the lighting guy between mixing songs, (and) used a mirror ball and dry ice for fog effects,” Silva said.
His parents didn’t mind. They fancied the idea of any of their five children staying home with friends.
His friends had such a good time, they asked him to do parties for them.
“At first, it was at no cost,” he said. “But then I realized that I could make a business out of it.”
Bruno Sound and Lights — and a career — were born.
“Four years later, I had enough equipment to run two large separate parties over the weekends,” he said.
Sea turtle friendly
Today, the 49-year-old operator of the St. Augustine firm IlluminEarth Lighting and Controls is atop his field.
At least, that’s what Salt Life Food Shack partner Jeff Jabot said.
“Bruno is amazing. Honestly, he is a lighting guru,” he said.
Jabot certainly would know.
In 2013, the longstanding restaurateur was in a bind. Contractors were ready to begin building his new seafood restaurant on a vacant lot just across Florida A1A from the beach, when they ran into a hitch.
The lighting needed to be sea turtle-friendly.
Some artificial lights near the beach can deter female sea turtles from nesting and may disorient hatchling turtles.
Jabot asked around and was steered toward Silva.
The guru’s task: To create an environmentally friendly atmosphere attractive to patrons and pleasing to the owners.
Mission accomplished.
Particularly because lighting and controls were an afterthought, much of the work involved custom fabrication. All of it required creativity.
While lighting intricacies are evident throughout Salt Life — including behind the bars and gift counter, on the walls and in bathrooms — the project’s signature component is that the building, signage and exterior lighting can be programmed to change colors.
“He physically manufactured the lights upstairs around the bar, himself,” Jabot said.
During St. Augustine’s 450th anniversary celebration, Salt Life had red and yellow lighting effects to mimic the Spanish flag colors. On Independence Day, Salt Life is red, white and blue; during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, it’s pink.
Using advanced LED technology, there are 26 color combinations.
The Salt Life project has been honored by the St. Augustine Beach Beautification Advisory Committee.
Especially satisfying to Silva was being responsible for ensuring that wildlife wasn’t compromised by the project.
“I’m very much a conservationist,” he said.
Indeed, Silva and his business partner-wife, Leslie, settled on the name of IlluminEarth partly because of their passion for “our planet’s future,” Bruno Silva said.
“IlluminEarth was born on the concept and idealism to illuminate the earth in ways that we operate as a profitable venture while conserving resources, offering sustainable products, and caring for our environment,” he said.
The Silvas also have a love affair with their community; they organize, participate in, and financially support various social, health, economic empowerment and education causes.
In September, IlluminEarth received a Governor’s Business Ambassador Award, which honors individuals and businesses for their efforts to create jobs and opportunities for Florida families.
“We are excited to begin working with Builders Care and the St. Johns Housing Partnership as the work they do really matter and it’s in harmony with how we give back and change people’s lives,” Silva said.
The Silvas are animal lovers, too. The couple and their three sons have two deaf Catahoula leopard rescued dogs.
A dream deferred
Eager to learn English and get a taste of Americana, Silva traveled to the United States within weeks of graduating from high school.
He stayed with American relatives initially and extended his work visa after six months, ultimately becoming an electrician by day and a bartender at night.
Silva accepted every production gig and learning opportunity he could until eventually restarting his company.
He built up his client base, workspace and workforce — and his family. The Silvas’ youngest child is now 18.
As an electrical contractor honing his skills, Silva’s tenure in New York – and, later, New Jersey — was memorable.
The highlights: Working light and sound projects for the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, the Hard Rock Café and Madison Square Garden; and building a 27-foot, lighted replica of a record that spun to music from the ceiling of the former Motown Café in Manhattan.
In 2003, Silva went to work for an international lighting manufacturer, consulting with architects, designers and engineers.
The Silvas moved to St. Augustine in 2006 and started IlluminEarth in 2011.
The company now has five employees while subcontractors handle most of its manufacturing needs.
Silva said no job is too big — he recently supplied a 570-unit apartment complex with 2,800 fixtures — and few are too small.
Although work and pleasure trips have taken him throughout North America and abroad, Silva hasn’t made it to Europe, yet
“My intent was to come to the U.S., learn the language, spend about six months or so and then go to Europe,” he said. “I haven’t gotten to Europe yet — but I will get there.”
Driving Silva’s interest in travel is his love for humanity and interest in communication. He speaks English, Spanish and his native Portuguese, and aspires to learn French and other languages.
“I think it it’s very important to be to the point because things get lost in translation, even with Google translator or anything like that,” he said.
Meanwhile, Silva’s always in learning mode, particularly due to rapid progress in lighting technology.
Active in various business associations, he seeks out networking opportunities and trade shows, participates in manufacturers’ roundtables, and continually researches industry trends.
“I think there’s a lot more to look forward to as far as technology for lighting in the future and there are a vast amount of resources out there,” he said. “The more I can learn, the more I can give back.”
Silva said he thinks his niche is his interest in helping people work within their budget to identify the most functional, architecturally pleasing lighting solutions.