what is siat
Against all odds, art persists.
And so does Fernando as he continues to find ways to create, bring his ideas to life, and share his visions.
Growing up in Peru, Fernando struggled to find opportunities to pursue creativity despite his passion for art. [ His school didn’t offer arts education, leaving Fernando to explore creativity on his own. ] He began filling sketchbooks with illustrations, satisfying his affinity for art, and eventually illustrating digitally on an iPad.
Fernando’s love for art pushed him to find ways to stay connected to it no matter the circumstances. Shortly after moving to Canada, COVID-19 hit the ground running. With time away from the rest of the world, Fernando spent his year honing his craft. He developed a deep passion for art and eventually couldn’t imagine himself doing anything else.
...At high school, Fernando joined an art club made up of younger students, whom he became something of a ringleader for. His first taste of leadership, which he found fun and rewarding. Fernando was also exposed to media arts for the first time. As he neared the end of high school, Fernando heard about SIAT from one of his teachers: the one and only program he ended up applying to.
As a first year SIAT student, Fernando felt at home for the first time. He was surrounded by like-minded people who shared his passions: making, expressing, and creating. He joined clubs and enjoyed the social aspects of university life. Fernando’s favourite memory of first year is taking IAT 100, in which he found a place amongst supportive first year students taking on their first creative university projects.
He soon had a goal: to gather a group of people and create something cool.
Upon entering second year, Fernando realized that much of what he believed in first year wasn’t necessarily true concerning friendships, extracurriculars, and academics. This turning point created a lot of endings, but also new beginnings. After leaving a club and some friendships that were no longer for him, the course IAT 202 reignited his spark. Fernando’s passion for film ran deep as he led a highly capable team through a short film project, reminding him of why he started this journey in the first place.
“Crazy fun and crazy stressful.”
That’s how Fernando describes the filmmaking process. The short film encapsulates the experience of trying to be someone you’re not and having to restart. This project, a hectic and rewarding experience, is one Fernando is incredibly proud of. It solidified his path towards animation, motion design, and film. Fernando now knows his purpose is clearer than ever: to create.