Have you ever had somebody tell you that you couldn’t do something? It’s pretty frustrating. But can you imagine what it would feel like if your body told you that you couldn’t do the things you loved the most- like an occasion where you would have no say in the matter at all? Would you feel discouraged or would you feel more motivated than ever? This weeks Fresh Face of Instagram is Mimi Kvinge, who has an incredible story to tell. She’s an artist and an adventurer, but most of all, she’s a fighter who has overcome incredible odds.

If you follow her on Instagram @mimikvinge.creative you already know that her feed is stacked tall with incredible works of art. But would you believe it if I told you that she never considered art to be more than a hobby until about a year ago? From a very young age she took to skiing and developed a love for the outdoors. Then, when she was an adolescent, she was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer in her leg.  This ultimately took away her ability to be active and to pursue her passions in the outdoors.

As part of her treatment, a large part of her knee and hamstring was removed. Despite the fact that doctors were uncertain that she would regain full function of her leg again, she was able to make a full recovery. She credits that she was able to engage her body in “a real way” through her love for skiing and nature.

Mimi’s parents have always encouraged her and her brother to use their imagination and to be as creative as possible. It wasn’t until last year, after getting a huge response from a piece of art she posted onto one of her social feeds, that she considered doing art as more than just a hobby. Her artwork is experimental, and she’s constantly using new techniques to change the way it looks and feels. No matter what medium she uses, she almost exclusively showcases the beauty of the natural world. Her inspiration is derived from her love of nature and is intended to make people “feel the awe and respect for the natural world” that overwhelms her when she heads into the mountains.

“The mountains are my church, my gym, my therapy…”  –Mimi K

Mimi’s art speaks for itself, but it has a much more beautiful context when you know where it comes from. Social media allows you to connect with people who do inspiring things, but on occasion, it also allows you to connect with people who are inspiring by their very nature. Mimi Kvinge is one of those people.!

To see more of Mimi’s work, check out  www.mimikvinge.com or follow her on Instagram @mimikvinge.creative. You can also contact her directly if you’re interested in purchasing her incredible pieces!

“An adventure is every emotion wrapped into a moment in life…I seek it because it’s an escape that lets me be myself” – Marcus Johannes 

Photo by: Dirk Badenhorst

I’m fortunate enough to know this guy and to me he’s the definition of an adventurer. Some of the most inspiring people out there aren’t the ones getting paid or sponsored to lead a life that is sustained by epic pursuits. The sponsored athletes are still inspiring, don’t get me wrong, but the most inspiring people to me are the people we consider “weekend warriors” – people who live normal lives, but use every spare minute of their free time and every last dollar in their pocket to get after what they love to do. They are the true enthusiasts.

Photo by: Dirk Badenhorst

Weekend Warriors are an interesting crowd. They’re die hard. They’re dedicated. But most of all they’re the folks who live, eat, and breathe outdoor adventure. How do you find them? Well, they’re usually the people who walk into work jacked up on coffee having just pulled an all-nighter drive to make it to work on time. They probably still smell a little musky and spend their Monday mornings ducking out of the way of responsibility, raiding websites and forums for next week’s adventure. They drive the ratty all wheel drive car in the parking lot that’s decked out with roof racks, covered in mud, and are usually packed to the brim with gear – so that if anything came up, they can leave at a moments notice. They’re loyal to the things that make them happy, and they are on an endless pursuit to do the things that make them happy, instead of collecting stuff that makes them happy.

Marcus is easily described as this type of person. He works full time (for himself) and still finds the time to pursue the things he loves to do. He spent every waking minute in college traveling as much as he could and what he studied in college only empowered him to do what he loved more often (film and photography).  He has toured 4,000 miles across the country on a bicycle, hitch hiked to Alaska, spent months filming in Europe, trekked in Nepal, and spent months living on a farm in South Africa (and that’s just to name a few)! His adventures are beautifully showcased on his Instagram feed (@marcjvisuals) or on his website www.marcjvisuals.com and I promise that it will have you craving an adventure of your own.

Photo by: Dirk Badenhorst

“An adventure is every emotion wrapped into a moment in life…I seek it because its an escape that lets me be myself” – Marcus Johannes

Have you ever thought about the types of things that inspire you? You know… the things that get your palms sweaty from excitement, fear, or anticipation. Books can certainly do the trick, so can magazines, but now a day’s social media does the best job of it all. Following individuals and the incredible things do as they do them are enough to get me pretty excited to test my limits.

These limits however typically lie right on the line of scary, challenging, but that’s part of the fun, right (when you look back at it)? There’s an expression that I’ve heard people use before and I’ve always thought it to be quite true: “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough”. Maybe that’s why I find some of these people that we (@spreadstoke)  follow on Instagram such big inspirations. We follow many photographers, adventurers, pro athletes, and outdoor enthusiasts who all share what they live for with the #spreadstoke tag and they’re doing big things with their lives. Their stories, photos, and videos get us and many others excited to get out and try new things.

This week, one of my favorite stoke spreading ambassadors is Jacob Moon, or @moonmountainman who absolutely LIVES a life that pursues outdoor adventures. His adventures, his photographs, and his stories showcase every reason why people love and are inspired by the mountains. If you’re in need of a high dosage of inspiration or just a fresh new face to follow while you sit in the office like most normal human beings, Jacob’s feed will have you lusting for bigger adventures, and planning your weekend activities (while you’re supposed to be working) with a limitless amount of haste.

Keep spreading stoke out there.