I am a girl who lives her life imagining. I love fantasy, food, nature, tea, sleep and all things magical. There are four things I need to live a happy life: music, writing, art and books…

My name is Sheila Arellano and I am twenty years old. I am a writer and artist who lives a creative life. I was born in Mexico; however, four years ago I moved to Canada to study and expand my horizon of opportunities. Throughout my life, my parents encouraged me to follow my dreams, be persistent, manage my own time, act to reach my goals and be self-directed. My family exposed me to a Montessori education from a young age, which prompted me to adopt an uncommon view towards life.

When I arrived in Canada in 2012, I wanted to continue my alternative education and decided to attend Windsor House School. Learning through a different school system opened my mind to new ideas and ignited my curiosity. Nonetheless, I attribute my learning not only to the school system I was in but also to the place and people with whom I grew up. For the first ten years of my life, I lived in a place in the middle of nature which had no connection to the outside world. In this place, I was surrounded by trees, animals, meditation, peace, and wonderful people. My parents organized mindfulness retreats in this isolated yet gorgeous site; growing up in an environment of serenity and joy taught me to expand my imagination and made me the person I am today. Nature has been an inspiration throughout my career and it is present in my creative and academic work. This is due to the years I spent connected to the trees, plants, and animals in Mexico. My family has inspired me, too. My grandparents and parents have been a great influence in my life. They taught me how to draw, sing, play instruments, write, film and always encouraged me to be myself. Today, I am able to permeate my life with constant learning and creative projects thanks to their support and love.

Since I was nine years old, I have been fascinated with writing, drawing, film, music, reading, and photography. Even though my interests are broad and include many aspects of the arts, my main focus is writing. Communicating through storytelling has helped me heal old wounds and understand the people around me. Writing has been my companion and guide through life, I have fathomed a lot about myself and the world because of it. In 2016, I also published my first novel “CascaBelle” in Mexico, which has had great success. Because of this novel, I have been on national radio, television, and magazines such as Estilo DF, Promo Stereo, Radio Red, among many others. Being interviewed in these various mediums has allowed me to expand my communication skills as well as my self-confidence. Sharing my book “CascaBelle” has sparked passion in my heart, a passion that unfolds every day and helps me devise new projects and ideas. Still, my learning has not been limited to writing. The same year I published my novel, I decided to attend Capilano University in order to thrive and expand my knowledge. Currently, I am studying Creative Writing as well as Liberal Studies at this institution.

Before university, however, I had already explored other aspects of my self-expression. For example, in 2015, the North Shore News showcased my photograph after winning a contest sponsored by the Digital Media Academy; my visual work has also been exhibited at the Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art. I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to share my photography early on in my life. Winning this contest and having my photography displayed taught me that it is possible to prosper by doing what you love. Furthermore, I did volunteer work with the Make A Wish Foundation, EA Sports, the North Vancouver School District, North Shore Neighborhood House, TEDxKids @BC,  FEAT Canada and QUEST University. The work experience I got from volunteering at these organizations helped me understand how the professional world operates and showed me the several ways to approach teamwork. Moreover, when I was thirteen years old I produced, directed, wrote and filmed my first movie named “Elea” which portrays our dwindling connection with nature and explores the clash between the values children have today and the values of the past. These projects and experiences aided me in building a learning toolkit I would use in university later on.

Being from Mexico, the Mayan and Aztec cultures have also been a great part of my life. I enjoy sharing my heritage and customs with other countries such as Canada. Last April, my play “Nahual” was presented at the Tom Cone Festival. “Nahual” is a story of self-empowerment based on Mexican myths which include the Aztec culture and values. I learned many lessons by working with a theatre crew and also through writing my own play. I discovered how to make dialogue dynamic and how to use not only voice to communicate, but action as well. I have a growing drive to embed my culture within my creative projects. I adore bringing my books, stories, and ideas to life and give them colour through Mexican mythology.

Some of my personal experiences have shown me life at its most crude; thus, throughout my life, my views have been shaped to be unique. My beliefs are positive yet strong: I live every moment to the fullest, I act and persist to achieve my goals and I aim to learn new things every day because I know that, at any moment, life can simply cease. I have to appreciate what I have today and strive to be a better individual because time is limited. This is why I chose to study Creative Writing as well as Liberal Studies. I believe these programs will enrich my views and knowledge and will strengthen my creative mind. I am looking forward to uncovering the future projects and learning experiences that will take place throughout my academic years at Capilano University.

Photo by: Lucero Trejo.