Over the past few months we’ve reached out to members of the CanvasRebel community to dive deeper into their stories. We wanted to learn how they got to where they are today and we heard stories that will keep our inspiration cup full for a long time. Their stories, lessons and humor have lifted our spirits and we hope you’ll take a minute to check out the stories below.

Frederick Brown

I have been an avid Cigar Smoker since 2009 and I had an opportunity to speak with someone who I was discussing additional streams of income with.

We somehow got onto the topic of Cigars and what was supposed to be a forty-five (45) minute conversation upgraded to a two and a half hour conversation. It was mostly me explaining the Cigar Culture and Lifestyle, particularly among People of Color. Read more>>

William Lewis

I am a 20 year Navy Retiree, and I created a non-profit organization to help support Veteran’s suffering with disabilities by building a recording studio and offering recording sessions free of charge. The only requirement to be part of Vet-Traxx Project Inc, is that the band must have at least one Veteran and they must have been discharged either General (under honorable conditions), or Honorably. I have been a musician for over 30 years and a recording engineer for 7 years. Due to the Navy and my duty station rotations I was able to get to the west coast, and I worked a second job at a music retailer. Read more>>

Meghan Hammons

It all started in my childhood. I used to make my fingers into the shape of a camera and frame skies, trees, or sunsets. I was the friend who always had a disposable camera and still have shoeboxes full of 4×6 prints from Walmart. I have always had a passion for photography, but I didn’t take the leap until around 2016 when I bought my first ‘real’ camera. Read more>>

Kylie Motley

I used to be an expert at suppressing my feelings and acting like I was ‘over the moon’ and in love with the life I lived. Handing out my energy to others as if it was endless … yet I struggled to see that I was constantly running out of my own supply . My effervescence drastically dwindled day in and day out. I feared facing the truth that I was uncomfortable in my own skin and could not fathom the idea of pouring energy into myself first before others. Like a game of dodgeball , I did everything I could to avoid being hit with my emotions that felt like they were aggressively being thrown at me. Eventually, the dodging no longer worked and I was hit HARD with the harsh reality that I could not hide from these feelings forever. Followed with the realization that I was not only carrying the weight of my own emotions but also the weight of the world around me. Read more>>

Claudia Espinosa

When I reflect on my journey, it’s truly been a testament to resilience and purpose. I was born and raised in Cali, Colombia, and in 2000, I made the life-changing decision to move to New York City. Starting over in a new country was both exciting and overwhelming. I didn’t speak much English, and adapting to an entirely different culture was a steep learning curve. Read more>>

Lee Mullen

As a kid I was always passionate about personal expression, art, and then tattooing when I discovered it. I grew up in Oklahoma, where tattooing was illegal, immoral. and ill-minded during my early years, but that didn’t stop me from trying to achieve my dream! Read more>>

Victoria Rosas

Roses Esthetics is a reflection of my personal journey toward self-love and confidence, inspired by experiences that taught me the importance of inner beauty and resilience. The name connects deeply to my last name, Rosas, which means “rose” in English—a symbol of grace and strength. Growing up in Queens, New York, I faced insecurities stemming from a birthmark that not only drew attention but also posed health risks, leading to emotionally and physically challenging surgeries at a young age. These challenges fueled my passion for creating a space where others feel seen, valued, and confident in their own skin. Roses Esthetics is more than a business; it’s a sanctuary where beauty goes beyond the surface, empowering clients to embrace their individuality and prioritize self-care, just as I have learned to do. Read more>>

Mommy Rockstar Bitch

My name is Zoë Tanner. I grew up on a farm in Harford County, Maryland. When I was very young, I began singing and playing piano. I remember my parents bought me an E-Kara karaoke headset and I would perform songs for my siblings’ friends. My go to was “Case of the Ex” by Mýa and “Hot Stuff” by Donna Summer. In the fourth grade, I started playing saxophone and got my first solo in choir. Fast forward to middle school where I performed my first original song. I still remember the song. It was about this boy, Andrew, I had a massive crush on. I decided I would profess my love in front of the whole school with this song. That was the first time I ever felt heartbreak, but it was also the first time I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I have been making songs ever since. Read more>>

Karlynn Only-Sydnor

Before becoming a personal trainer I was a volleyball coach. I coached high school and club teams for about 6 years before deciding to coach one-on-one private lessons. It was a weekend side job but it was more consistent that coaching a school and I was able to focus my coaching on one player. I did this for a few years before becoming certified as a trainer. I felt a certification could help me be a more credible trainer and improve my knowledge of body mechanics. I took the knowledge I learned while getting my certification and applied it to my athletes and myself. My athletes loved the additional training they were getting and I realized that fitness training had more to it than sets and reps. There were ways to use it to help alleviate joint pain, decrease stress, improve your mood and increase your energy; As a mom of four, I needed all the energy I could get. Read more>>

Hoda Ramy

I’m an animation director, educator, and multi-disciplinary artist in New York City. My journey started with a deep love for visual storytelling and a curiosity about how animation can capture emotions and ideas in ways words often can’t. Over the years, I’ve had the chance to create award-winning films like In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning and 18 Hours a Dream, collaborate with TED, and work on campaigns for nonprofits that focus on social impact. Read more>>

Sarhue Guerrero

My journey has been anything but conventional. I studied Mechanical Engineering at the prestigious Simón Bolívar University in Venezuela, where I discovered my passion for design amidst technical studies. What started as a focus on designing mechanical components turned into a love for creativity and artistic expression. Read more>>

Jasmine Meadows

My story is complex, to say the least. But if I had to pinpoint where this journey truly began, I’d say it started nearly seven years ago during a profound spiritual awakening. It was then that I discovered my spiritual gifts—claircognizance, clairvoyance, clairaudience, and most notably, automatic writing (psychography). At the time, I didn’t know what to do with these abilities. They felt foreign and taboo, given the environment I grew up in. So, I kept them to myself, quietly working to develop and understand them. Read more>>

Lena Drake

I was brought up in competitive dance, everything was jazz boots and pointe shoes. I fell in love with dance in this really intense way; it was all I thought about, all I did. I would go to dance classes everyday from 3pm-9pm and then I’d come home and continue practicing. Dance has always been this primal language for me; it’s the method I use to better understand myself… the world around me… existence. Read more>>

Christine Winship

I’ve been creating all my life. Doodling in grade school, graduating from art school. But it started when I did a painting for a friend of mine for his 30th birthday. I was a portrait of Bill but without Bill. Instead, a painting of all the things he loved. His guitar, a Rangers hockey puck, and his beloved pug, Pugs. He was so moved when he saw it. He loved that dog so much :) Read more>>

Iana

Originally I am from a small town in the north of Russia. Since childhood, I have been fascinated by two spheres: beauty and literature. And it so happened that my work in the beauty field allowed me to develop in the field of literature and believe in myself. I worked in international corporations, conducted trainings, wrote books, organized exhibitions, created and promoted brands. And thanks to my experience and great love for work, I was able to move to the United States on a talant visa, and now I continue to create beauty and magical worlds in U.S. Read more>>

Lilly

Hi, I’m Lilly—a Psychic Medium, Karuna Reiki Master, Certified Healer, Certified Life Coach, and Super Empath with over six years of experience supporting people on their spiritual journeys toward clarity and transformation. Raised in a family of Psychic Mediums, I’ve always felt connected to spiritual energies, sensing the presence of souls and deeply understanding energy. Life’s challenges, including surviving profound trauma, taught me the power of resilience, self-love, and healing. Now, I use these lessons to guide others on their own journeys of growth. Read more>>

Steven Rankin

My passion for design ignited in 1997 during my freshman year of high school, when I was one of two students granted access to Photoshop 1.0. This sparked a lifelong pursuit, leading me to a BA in Graphic Design from San Diego State University.

After honing my design skills in various in-house marketing roles at SDSU and the Port of San Diego, I transitioned to the tech industry in the San Francisco Bay Area. After a 3 year period of bouncing around start ups, my first FTE role was of an Art Director in cybersecurity, for 2.5 years, before joining Google as a contract employee. Read more>>

I was born and raised in Maine. I moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington where I studied Linguistics and Communication, and met my now-husband.

I worked in marketing and then HR for several years after graduating but I didn’t love the corporate world and I knew my time in academia was not over.

In 2016, I moved to Hong Kong to get my Master’s in Linguistics, and the following year, my husband and I moved to Singapore so I could pursue my PhD at Nanyang Technological University. Read more>>

Rachel Merin

I’m not sure how I got here, but I am incredibly grateful. Coming from a place of complete desolation where I was mired in years of addictive eating disorder behaviors to my current space of building my confidence through modeling and putting myself out there, I know understand that nothing is impossible. As a child, I hid a lot as I always felt like there was something wrong with me. Looking back now, I can see that depression riddled my childhood but I didn’t recognize what it was. Entering college and being stripped of the comfort of family and my hometown, I was forced to look into the mirror. Read more>>

Veronika Vidal

I think my story is a typical “hero” journey of someone who learns life’s most valuable lessons through their own mistakes. I’ve always been very outgoing and have been on stage and TV since I was a child. International singing competitions, costumes, makeup—I spent more time at rehearsals than at school learning biology. Read more>>

Amanda

The Scribblist began as a side-hustle while I was in graduate school pursuing my MFA in Fine Art. What started as a simple Etsy shop where I sold hand-lettered quotes and inspirational messages drawn on paper has since evolved into a full-time thriving stationery business. The brand, and my own style, has evolved over time and my work is now heavily rooted in whimsical watercolor paintings that make their way onto a wide range of stationery products (greeting cards, wrapping paper, notepads and more), hand-painted murals, and custom luxury wedding invitations. Read more>>

Alyssia Graves

I am an only child which I think is self-explanatory for a lot of who I am today. When you’re an only child, especially with a single parent, you become very independent at a young age. I’ve never wanted to rely on anyone else so I started working as early as I could, went away for college, and have lived in quite a few cities to truly make it on my own and experience life for myself. Read more>>

Tony Kim

I am Korean and majored in textile design in Korea. During that time, I had the opportunity to work briefly at a fashion company, which provided me with various valuable experiences. However, the work environment there felt intense, almost like something out of The Devil Wears Prada, and I realized it wasn’t the right fit for me. Read more>>

Arthur Rutledge

I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. I grew up Having a Iove for dancing, interest in ideas of entrepreneurship, exploring, experiencing new things, & sells.
At 23 a long time friend approach me about modeling in New York. That began my expansion to traveling internationally. My dream to see the world came true over the next 10 years. I dabbled in a few businesses before, during, & after the growth from those experiences. The one that really stood out was the one that put me in and around mentorship groups. Read more>>

Marika Simon

Since I can remember I was always looking for ways to entertain. Being an only child inspired my imagination and my creativity, I knew growing up that I wanted to tell stories to the world. The first time I knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally came when I was very young. I remember being absolutely mesmerized by storytelling—the way it could transform reality, evoke powerful emotions, and even make you feel like you were experiencing something completely otherworldly. Growing up, I was that kid who was always staging little performances, immersing myself in characters, and creating stories that brought magic to everyday life. Read more>>

Hannah Roze

The journey to Plannerd began when my husband and I got engaged. As we started the wedding planning process, it became evident that a thoughtful and organized approach was essential. We were fortunate to have an experienced planner who guided us at every step; however, the spreadsheets, invoices, emails, and contracts still piled up. As I explored beyond our own planning experience, I repeatedly heard from couples—both with and without planners—one common question: Why is wedding planning so stressful and difficult? Read more>>

Stephanie Audette Connor

After earning my BFA in graphic design from MassArt, getting a full-time design job seemed like the right thing to do. I bounced around to a few agencies, but it soon became clear that the fit was all wrong. I wasn’t satisfied coloring inside someone else’s lines. I wanted to define my creative process and see the impact of my work directly. I started designing for a few freelance clients, left my day job, and opened my own studio. Read more>>

Evelyn Massey

My interest in vintage comes from inspiration of watching my ancestors dominate the fashion era during 30s 40s 50s. Reselling came later. Read more>>

Jacob Rountree

Born in Albuquerque NM, Raised in Spokane Washington, Jacob found music early on from learning classical piano at the age of 7. By 12 years old Jacob began prioritizing his musical focus on the guitar. After multiple severe injuries from competitive snow skiing in his late teens, Rountree used his recovery time to break the barrier of music simply being a weekly duty, to a therapeutic passion necessary for daily fulfillment, he became obsessed. Rountree maintained his frequent gigging schedule all through earning his mechanical engineering degree which brought him to the state of Montana. Now a decade into performing, Rountree has released three albums, performed with the likes of Future Islands, Rayland Baxter, Paul Cauthen, John Cragie and more, resulting in tours from Seattle to the Virgin Islands. Read more>>