Meet Stella Chang

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Stella Chang. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Stella, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I draw my resilience from three main places.

First, I’ve learned to transform my initial anger, the “why me?” and “this isn’t fair” feelings that came when I was diagnosed with lupus, into motivation. The first six doctors I saw refused to prescribe medication because all my tests came back negative. Meanwhile, I was living with an unbearable burning pain throughout my body that lasted for months. At one point, it felt like a part of me had died under the weight of it all. I remember strapping six ice packs to my body just to numb the fire enough to fall asleep. Even then, I was sleeping nearly 14 hours a day and could hardly lift my arms or legs without agony. But somehow, I kept pushing through one day and one night at a time. Each time I woke up and realized I had survived another cycle, I recognized that anger could be channeled into strength, and that strength fueled my refusal to give up on myself.

Second, I leaned on love. I reminded myself of the people who cared about me: my husband, my close circle of friends, my cats, and even my grandparents who had always believed in me though they had already passed. In my mind, I could hear them rooting for me and cheering me on, and that kept me from sinking into self-pity. They never gave up on me, so why should I give up on myself?

Finally, I turned back to my roots, to art. Drawing and painting have always been part of me, and I even earned a BFA in it. During that time I rediscovered just how deeply healing art can be. Art therapy is real. It gave me an outlet, a place to put the pain, and a way to reconnect with who I am at my core.

These three forces: anger turned into motivation, love from others, and the grounding power of art, are what my resilience is built on.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I never thought I would end up back in the arts, but in many ways it feels like coming home. My first love has always been drawing and painting. I even earned my BFA at NYU and believed art would always be part of my life. After school, though, I was swept into the fashion world. That became my career, my focus, and for 20 years I thought that was my path.

Then lupus arrived in 2021 and everything changed. My fashion career crashed and burned almost overnight. My body could no longer keep up with the pace and I was forced to retire. At first it felt like a loss I could never recover from. I had worked so hard, and suddenly it was gone. Imagine being in my late thirties and in one moment losing both my career and my future.

The silver lining is that lupus pushed me back to where I began: art. Picking up a brush again was not just nostalgic, it was healing. When my body was burning with pain and I could hardly move, art gave me something to hold onto. It reminded me of who I was before the illness and gave me a way to process everything I was going through.

Today my work is about identity, memory, and resilience because that has been the heart of my own journey. I use layers, textures, and mixed media because life itself feels that way: messy, broken, and always being pieced back together. Along this path I have been honored to exhibit my work regularly, license it internationally through Rosenstiels, a UK-based fine art publisher, and show in the highly competitive 2025 Newark Arts Festival in New Jersey. I am grateful to have received the 2025–2026 Individual Artist Fellowship Grant from the Jersey City Arts Council, and I also serve as Chair of the Junior and Scholarship Committee at New York’s historic Salmagundi Art Club.

You can see more of my work at www.artbystellachang.com. I have also opened a YouTube channel where I share Heal With Me content, inviting others living with chronic illness to practice alongside me in easing pain and lifting mood through breathing exercises and mindful drawing and painting: youtube.com/@artbystellachang
.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, three qualities have had the greatest impact on my journey: self-reliance, the ability to pivot, and learning to ask for help while practicing gratitude every single day.

Self-reliance taught me how to advocate for myself when the medical system failed me. Six doctors dismissed my pain because my tests came back negative. Deep down, I knew I had an autoimmune disease, so I kept pushing. When I finally saw the seventh doctor, I asked him directly if it was possible to have false negatives and still be sick. His eyes lit up, and that question opened the door to treatment. Without trusting myself and refusing to give up, I might not be here today.

The second quality is my ability to pivot. I have never let my identity get stuck in what other people told me I should do, whether in my career or finances. Losing my fashion career to lupus was incredibly painful, but instead of clinging to what I had lost, I focused on the next step. That willingness to change direction allowed me to return to art, my first love, and it has given me a new purpose.

Finally, I am not afraid to ask for help and to show my vulnerable side. I realized that the more I tried to hide, the fewer resources and less support I would receive. By opening up and telling people I needed help, I not only survived but also discovered who my true friends and family are. Alongside this, I make a conscious choice to count my blessings every single day. Gratitude keeps me grounded and gives me something brighter to hold onto, even in the midst of pain and challenges.

For anyone early in their journey, my advice would be this: trust yourself enough to speak up, give yourself permission to change when life demands it, and never hesitate to lean on others. And through it all, find something to be grateful for each day, no matter how small. It will keep you moving forward.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

The biggest challenge I face right now is having people not believe that I am sick. What makes it even harder is that some of these people are my own family members. They either dismiss my illness or minimize it, and some have even called me a liar to my face. For a while, I tried to prove myself. I sent copies of my infusion bills and doctor’s notes, thinking that if they saw the evidence, they would finally understand. But one family member still accused me of photoshoping everything. That was the moment I realized that no amount of proof would ever change the mind of someone who doesn’t want to believe.

What I learned from this is that it is not my job to convince others of my reality. The energy it takes to explain myself over and over again is energy I need to heal and survive. So now, I simply exercise the power of “no.” I say no to conversations that drain me, no to defending myself against people who are committed to misunderstanding me, and no to carrying the weight of their disbelief. “No” is a full sentence according to the Olsen’s Twins, and using it has given me freedom.

For anyone dealing with something similar, I want to say this: your experience is valid even if others refuse to see it. Protect your energy, protect your peace, and focus on the people who support and believe you.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

All images are taking by Stella Chang insider her studio.

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?

We asked some of the most inspiring local entrepreneurs and creatives what was bringing them

Highlighter Series
Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?

We asked some of the most interesting entrepreneurs and creatives to open up about recent

Highlighter Series
What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?

Coffee? Workouts? Hitting the snooze button 14 times? Everyone has their morning ritual and we