Shams grew up between Montreal and Tunisia, speaks six languages, and has backpacked and lived extensively on five continents. Her artistic practice and research interests are grounded in connection: how people form communities, connect with themselves, each other, and their surroundings. During a recent art residency with Adventure Canada and the Explorer’s Club, Shams gathered natural and discarded materials in Greenland and Nunavut to create watercolors imbued with a strong sense of place. For two years, she traveled around the world, immersing herself in regenerative farm practices in diverse climates. This included spending a winter learning about subarctic farming in the Northwest Territories, embracing natural building methods in Turkey, and delving into tropical farming in Costa Rica, where she obtained her permaculture design certificate. She also completed a four-month apprenticeship in a botanical garden specializing in medical plants in British Columbia with one of North America’s most renowned medical herbalists. While in college, Shams participated in a homestay program in Ecuador and looks forward to facilitating meaningful experiences there this summer. She currently works as a sea kayak and hiking guide with Outward Bound in Canada and Hong Kong. In addition to being fluent in French and Spanish, Shams has intermediate proficiency in Brazilian Portuguese and Tunisian Arabic, and is currently learning Mandarin.