Hello! My name is Arabela Grace Llamelo. I was born on Oʻahu and raised on Lāna‘i. I discovered my passion for art at age 6 after winning a drawing contest, which inspired me to keep improving my creative skills. I graduated from Lāna‘i High and Elementary School in 2021, then earned an associate degree in Graphic Design from UH Maui College. I transferred to UH West Oʻahu in Fall 2023 and am now graduating in 2025 with a Bachelor's in General Creative Media. If I were an artist’s tool, I would be a sketchbook as you can bring it wherever you go, create whatever you put your mind to, and something to look back on how far you come in improving your skills.
The Western animation industry has long been a space for diverse creators working to open doors for underrepresented communities. Filipino representation, in particular, has recently gained attention through storytelling rooted in personal experiences and cultural identity. While there’s still room for growth, Filipino voices are increasingly shaping Western media, using animation to share meaningful stories and expand visibility.
The concept of creativity has come a long way. The Old Greeks would call those creative forces muses, other religions referred to them as God. Today people still mostly treat creativity as an aha moment outside the area of influence. However, just by looking at the creative process one can tell, that creativity and creative work is more than just that one "Aha-Moment" (insight). It is clear that generating ideas demands planning and preparation, identifying something of interest like a problem, an opportunity or a challenge, doing research. This then leads to thinking of a solution, allowing time to incubate and iterations before arriving at something “complete.” Students learn that hard work is what makes their ideas come to life and sticktuiveness is what helps them get better.
Arabela brings culture to the canvas with a series of original character designs rooted in Filipino identity and inspired by her research on representation in Western animation. As Filipino voices begin to gain more visibility in the industry, Arabela explored how authentic storytelling and culturally grounded design can break stereotypes and open space for underrepresented narratives. Her characters reflect pride, complexity, and lived experience—demonstrating how animation can be a powerful platform for connection and cultural expression. Check out her work below!