Often, those who tread off the beaten path are misunderstood or mischaracterized and so we asked folks from the community to reflect and tell us about the times they’ve been misunderstood or mischaracterized.

Chris & Kelly Travelers Moon

As “ghost hunters”, it seems we get looked at with a raised eyebrow somewhat frequently. People either think we’re these bizarre occultists doing odd things in abandoned buildings late at night, or….we’re just crazy. The truth is (at least for us), is that what we do doesn’t come from this macabre fascination with death, but rather this idea that there’s something more to life that we don’t quite understand yet. It’s the idea that our soul’s experience doesn’t end when we die, and we like to think that comes from a place of hope. Read more>>

Hann McEwen

Being misunderstood and mischaracterized has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. No matter the situation I was in, it always felt as if no one was truly receptive to what I had to say. I wasn’t able to relate to other kids. I would constantly get in trouble with teachers. The few times I was able to find common ground with my family was through fighting. It’s something I’ve struggled with. It’s something I still struggle with. Being misunderstood has never left me. It’s this constant feeling that I’m not meant to be understood or unworthy of understanding. It’s a feeling that has bred loneliness, impenetrable defense mechanisms, and a stubbornness that will be my eventual downfall. Read more>>

Jacey Kemp

Silence leaves room for misconceptions. I use to be nonverbal. Not hundred percent but to the point where people would speak/think for me. My facial expressions never projected what I felt, It gave off a negative demeanor. Yet, I was just suffocating in different spaces. When I touch art, when I create… I speak freely. It’s as if it lead me into my voice, gave me the guidance to exist and to be me. Read more>>

Anna Farfan

Being a female DJ in this industry is something that has it pros and cons. When I first stepped into the scene people used to underestimate me thinking that I couldn’t possibly handle the intensity of being a DJ but I was determined to prove them wrong. As I continued raising in the scene I knew that my music spoke louder than any stereotypes or misunderstandings. Gender is not a barrier to success in anything that you what to achieve. As cliché as it sounds you just have to believe in yourself and everything will come to you progressively. Read more>>

Kathy Cornwell

I mischaracterized myself by living for years with the belief, “I’m not good at physical tasks. My talents are solely cerebral or interpersonal.” Hah! Working as an artist has helped me understand that just like everyone, certain things come easily to me and other things take longer to master. As my hands become less nimble due to arthritis and aging, I find myself modifying my methods of mark making, and I’m just as delighted with them as the marks I made when my hands were in their prime. I’ve also increased my capacity for solving the problems that arise with physical tasks. I no longer throw up my hands and blame myself, but rather I keep on trying and I look to other artists for advice. Read more>>

Mike Ray

It’s funny… The average person thinks I’m a pretty good guitarist..mostly because I have one hand and play guitar lol. Any of my musician buddies that knows anything..including, and especially my 17 year old son, know that I’m pretty much a hack on guitar that relies really heavily on a capo and plays very basically. I’ve sang in bands since I was 19 but only learned to play guitar when I was 35. Read more>>

Brian/Shim Watson/Dawan

Hip hop is a category of dance that is often misunderstood. It is a newer style of dance with many facets and can sometimes be put on the back burner in some cases. At Hip Hop X, students are taught about how Hip Hop dance incorporates many different dance stylings that have origin and evolution, such as breakdancing, pop locking and krumping. Hip hop dance allows the dancer the most individualism of all the styles. In the dance industry, hip hop is one of the top booked styles of dance for professional dancers. Read more>>

Anna Basiladze

During painting I don’t think how other will think of or interpret my work. In the moment the most important is to portray my intentions in my art. But I also enjoy seeing how spectators associate their views with my art. If my art made them stop even just for a minute, then my painting has served it’s purpose. The most important critics for me are my three children, they are the most heartfelt. Read more>>

Godriguez

i often get asked about my “Devil” persona and why at times i dress like the devil in many of my self-portrait pieces and use it as my company logo…the answer might surprise you. In October 2011, I found out just how cathartic self-portraiture could truly be. I was planning a self-portrait for a selfy group I was a member of, and it was to be a Halloween-ish themed shot. I was going to be a swanky devil with a martini glass and looking quite smug. Read more>>

Yelena Friedman

I always loved acting and performing. Starting in the 3rd grade, I always did every single show at school. When I was about 15, I started taking a TV/Film acting class outside of school, 2 times a week. Now, when I first started acting (and even now) I always was drawn to comedy. Making people laugh was so magical and something I always loved doing. But I also love drama and diving deep into dramatic characters and stories. Read more>>

David Hu

Sheltered and alone is an understatement for David Hu, a first generation American raised by Chinese immigrants. David faced racial, social and financial hardship trying to fit in, and meet his parent’s cultural expectations of a good education and a job in the future. Through his journey of adversity David has dealt with depression, insecurity, alienation and eventually health issues. The OutCast is the story of David coming to terms with his struggles and learning that leaving his guard down is not a weakness, but a strength! Read more>>

Ronny Bueller

Being misunderstood can sometimes Work Out to your own benefit. I believe that most creators and geniuses are highly misunderstood and that’s what makes them who they are. For example, The black kid that grows up in the ghetto who listens to rock music and watches anime, To his peers it may seem weird Because that’s not the norm. In the ghetto, and let me say this, the ghetto is a state of mind. the ghetto Cannot be found on a map. It’s a mentality. But in the poor black community that is the mentality of the majority.. Outside of hip-hop and R&b, Anything else is unappreciated. Read more>>

Cameryn Hodges

Navigating Hate and Parasocial Relationships Read more>>

Sean Gunnell

Before I begin, I want to take a moment to thank Kristi Shah, and the entire CanvasRebel team for this feature! It’s an absolute pleasure sharing pieces of my journey with your readership, Voyage and Shoutout alike, and I’m grateful to be gifted this new opportunity for connection! Today, I’d like to speak to being misunderstood/mischaracterized as an actor. In my experience, as I can imagine every thespian will be able to relate to, many people base our successes on talent reps, who we know, performing in major productions, earning big paychecks, receiving accolade nominations, etc. Read more>>

Crazy Peppsta

Being misunderstood is part of Life. I got love for the craft of Hip Hop. You gotta rise above people’s opinions. Read more>>

Chenise Mitchell

I created a performance based on the topic of joy. Read more>>

Bernice Chao

Sounds good! I have lots of stories about being misunderstood. Read more>>

Queenie La’Rouge

I’m highly misunderstood as an artist /creative. Read more>>