Scotts Valley’s Liana Alexander has been creating art for as long as she can remember.
Long before she could talk in complete sentences, she was filling pages with drawings. While other children experimented with sports, music lessons or extracurricular activities, Alexander found her passion with a pencil in her hand and paper spread across the table.
Today, the recent Delta Charter School graduate is turning that lifelong passion into a future career. Alexander opted to enroll at Delta in order to hold dual enrollment at the high school and at Cabrillo College, which is where Delta is located. During the spring 2026 semester, Alexander completed college courses in creative writing and library research.
“I was about 4 years old when I picked up art materials and started doing all that,” Alexander said. “It was really when I was about 7 or 8 that I started taking anime art classes. That taught me how to draw better, and it kind of just grew from there.”
Now 18, Alexander plans to complete her AA at Cabrillo College before transferring to a four-year institution to pursue a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and illustration. Her dream is to someday work as a character designer and art director for a professional animation studio.
“I’m really hoping to work at a really nice studio and do some character design or illustrations,” she said.
Her artistic style is heavily influenced by anime, though she enjoys experimenting with mixed media and is beginning to explore digital art and graphic design. Most of her work, however, is still created by hand.
“I really like doing mixed media,” she said. “My art style mostly is anime, so I draw a lot of anime-inspired artwork.”
While Alexander spent three years at Scotts Valley High School, she credits her senior year at Delta Charter School with helping her grow as both an artist and a student.
“Delta really supported me in that journey,” she said. “I loved my art teacher there. She was really supportive and pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and take my art to new levels that I hadn’t reached before.”
Her mother, Michelle Terra, watched that growth firsthand.
“Before she could talk, she was creating,” Terra said. “It was just very natural. I tried gymnastics, swimming and all these other activities, but art was where she thrived.”
Like many parents, Terra invested years in art lessons, summer programs and after-school classes to nurture her daughter’s talent.
Over the years, Alexander has entered several local art competitions, including a housing-themed contest called “What Home Means to Me.” Her artwork earned top honors and a cash award.
“I always feel really good when people see my artwork and appreciate it,” she said. “It feels really, really great.”
Recognition for her artistic achievements continued this year when she received the prestigious Live Like Leo Scholarship through the Community Foundation Santa Cruz County.
The scholarship honors the memory of Leo Dilan Cellura, a 10-year-old from Lafayette, Calif., whose life tragically ended in a fatal bicycle accident in July 2020. During his short but vibrant life, Leo was remembered for his selflessness, empathy and remarkable ability to bring people together.
Born in San Francisco, Leo grew up as a global citizen, living and attending school in Tokyo, Japan, and Singapore before returning to the Bay Area in 2019. Because of his international upbringing, he developed an incredible sense of inclusivity and a deep appreciation for diverse cultures, nature, and adventure. The Live Like Leo foundation provides annual scholarships and grants to help students expand their worldviews through travel and cultural immersion.
For Alexander, whose imagination has long been fueled by stories, mythology and culture, the award opens exciting possibilities.
“I’m really interested in Greece,” she said. “I’ve been looking into studying abroad there because I really like the culture, Greek mythology and the food.”
She hopes international travel will not only broaden her horizons but also strengthen her ability to tell meaningful stories through art.
“I want to learn other people’s cultures and then incorporate that into my artwork,” she said. “I want to tell stories and represent people from all around the world. I’m hoping that I can make my art make people smile, feel good, feel something,” she said.
That desire to connect with others through creativity is one reason she has already begun sharing her talents with younger artists. In addition to her studies, Liana has worked for years as an assistant at Seven Directions Art Center and was recently invited to serve as an on-call instructor, teaching art classes to children.
“I think that’s remarkable for her age,” Terra said.
Yet perhaps Alexander’s greatest strength is not simply her artistic ability, but the support system standing behind her.
“I get the most support from my mom,” she said. “She’s really been my backbone and has been there since the moment I lifted up a pencil and started drawing. I wouldn’t know what to do without her.”
She also credits her grandmother and other family members for encouraging her to pursue her goals and believe in herself.
“Everyone in my family has helped me move forward,” she said. “I’m very, very grateful.”
As Alexander prepares for college and dreams of one day working in the animation industry, she carries with her the same passion that first emerged as a young child drawing at the kitchen table.
The path ahead may take her to Greece, Laguna Beach or perhaps even a major animation studio. But wherever she goes, one thing seems certain: Alexander will continue creating the art that has helped her find her bliss.
