Ever since I was a little girl, I've been very persistent. The kind of person who, once something gets into her head, just won't let it go. My mom can confirm. 😅 And there's one thing I've never let go of, even though I kept it tucked away in a drawer for many years: art.
It was always there. As a child, I drew, painted and filled notebooks with color. Then I grew up, started working, and life took me down other paths. But art stayed alive inside me, quietly, waiting for its moment.
The Day It Hit Me
For several years, I lived the same routine as so many people: wake up, go to work, keep to the schedule, come home tired, and do it all over again. I worked as an employee for about six years, and even though I learned so much, something inside me wasn't at peace.
Later, I moved into a different field where I worked on commission. There were things I liked about it, but I never fully felt it was my calling. And honestly, I'm still asking myself that question today.
One day, something hit me. It sounds so obvious, but we almost never really think about it: someday, I'm going to die. And life goes by so fast that, if you're not careful, your best years can slip away while you wait for the perfect moment.
I started thinking about all the things I hadn't done. Some because I couldn't make up my mind, some out of fear, and some because I was too worried about what other people would say. And that hurt.
I reached a point where I just couldn't take it anymore. The exhaustion of the routine came together with some very difficult personal situations, the kind that knock the ground out from under you. And in the middle of all that, I told myself: "That's it. I have to be brave. If not now, when?"
Taking the Leap, Even When Nothing Is Clear
I'm not that old. Maybe I'm around the middle of my life. But in the many (or few) years I've spent working, living and making mistakes, I've learned a few things I'd like to share with you.
I know what it feels like to be afraid to create. To feel insecure, to wonder if you're good enough, if anyone will even like what you make. That fear never fully goes away, but I've learned to walk alongside it.
I believe we are co-creators with God. He plants the seed, but it's up to us to water it, to move, and to take the first step. And so often, that step has to be taken before everything is figured out. You won't have the perfect plan or all the answers. Sometimes you just have to jump.
I've made mistakes, a lot of them. But every one of them taught me something I wouldn't have learned any other way. And if I have to start from zero, I'll start from zero. I've done it before, and I'd do it again.
What keeps me going is faith and hope. Knowing I'm not alone in this, and that if something comes from the heart, it's worth trying.
The Voice That Always Knows
Something that matters deeply to me is being true to my word. I haven't always managed it. In the past, I've fallen short and left things unfinished that I said I would do. But today I've made a different choice: to follow through on what I say I'll do. Not because I've never made mistakes, but precisely because I have, and I learned from them. And that commitment starts with myself.
I've also learned to listen to my intuition. That little voice we sometimes ignore, but that's almost always right. When I haven't listened to it, I've regretted it. When I've followed it, even when it scared me, things have fallen into place.
Finding Beauty in the Little Things
That's how SheMark was born. As a way to come back to myself, to what has always made me happy.
I love finding beauty in the little things. In a sunset, a flower, the shimmer of the sea or the shape of a shell. They're details we miss when we're rushing through life, but when you stop to really look, they fill your soul.
My paintings are inspired by all of that:
- The landscapes of Los Cabos: its mountains, its sky and the colors you can only see here.
- The feminine: flowers, shades of lilac, pink and purple, mermaids, and everything mystical, like something out of a fairy tale.
- The sea: oysters, shells, fish and coral reefs.
An Extension of My Soul
SheMark is an extension of my soul. Every piece carries a little part of who I am, what I've lived and what I dream of.
My purpose is that, when you look at my art, you connect with your own essence and give yourself a moment to enjoy life, even if it's just for an instant. Because life is happening now.
And if you also have something tucked away in a drawer, a dream or an idea you haven't dared to bring out, I hope this story gives you a little push. It doesn't all have to be clear. You just have to dare.
With love,
Sheyla 💜