Our Story
Velvet Rose Studios exists to create intentional, hand-designed pieces that open the door to story, faith, and purpose. Behind every brushstroke is a narrative of impossible prayers and a God who meets us in our deepest brokenness.
This is how a season of total impossibility became a canvas for the Kingdom.
My Story - An Impossible Prayer
I'm Kayla, the artist behind Velvet Rose Studios.
My story begins with failure and an impossible prayer. After receiving a letter of dismissal from college, I knew I had failed at the very thing God called me to do. I asked Him for a second chance, never expecting Him to answer my impossible prayer with an impossible answer.
He allowed me to get into a tobogganing accident at a Christmas party I never intended to attend. What followed was three months in the hospital with a traumatic brain injury. The first four days were critical as doctors didn't know if I would survive. When they saw brain activity, the uncertainty shifted: would I ever walk or talk again?
From Hospital to Canvas
Confused, isolated, and angry, I questioned why God would allow this. Yet, right there in the quiet of that hospital room, He met me in the most intimate way. Philippians 4:13 became my physical and spiritual anchor. I made a choice to apply myself to recovery with everything I had, and as I did, I watched the promises of Scripture come alive. God was listening. The Bible was real. My faith exploded.
Against every medical odd, I returned to college on a modified course load, raised my grades from Ds to Bs in a single semester, and walked across the stage to graduate.
That miracle launched me into a life of radical obedience. Upon graduation, I moved overseas to teach English in South Korea, spending over seven years serving in various ministry opportunities before returning to Canada to serve in youth ministry.
Stepping Into the Calling
Years later, during the isolation of the pandemic, I met my husband. It was his gentle encouragement that reignited a creative flame I thought I had lost forever. He handed me a paintbrush and urged me to start creating again.
Painting quickly became my sanctuary during those uncertain times. His continued support eventually led me to take the boldest step of faith yet: launching Velvet Rose Studios.
That is where art and faith seamlessly collide for me. Just as God met me in that hospital room and called me to apply myself when everything felt impossible, He is calling me now to step out boldly through creativity.
The Heart of the Studio
Velvet Rose Studios is more than an art studio; it is a living platform built to share my story and invite you to share yours. I want to encourage you to step out boldly in faith, to believe with absolute certainty that God is listening, and to trust that your testimony matters.
At the heart of my work is relationship-building and sharing the raw hope of the Gospel in authentic, everyday ways. I truly believe that faith conversations don't have to feel forced to be meaningful—they can happen naturally through color, canvas, and the courage to create.
A New Chapter
Not long after launching Velvet Rose Studios, our family entered another unexpected season.
The man who had encouraged me to pick up a paintbrush again suddenly found himself facing his own impossible journey. Evan underwent brain surgery after doctors discovered a tumor, and we later learned he had glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Once again, our world changed overnight.
Just as God carried me through a hospital room years earlier, He has been carrying us through this one. I stepped away from my outside job to become Evan's full-time caregiver, walking beside him through appointments, treatments, and the uncertainty that comes with this diagnosis.
Today, every piece I create carries an even deeper purpose. Velvet Rose Studios isn't simply my business—it's how I continue to provide for our family while remaining by my husband's side. It's also a daily reminder that even when life doesn't unfold the way we planned, God is still faithful, hope is still alive, and beauty can still emerge from broken places.
