Not the End, But the Beginning: A Look Back on the Volcom #ThisFirst Winners' Journeys

Our #ThisFirst winners from around the world spent six weeks putting their passion first, documenting their trials, tribulations and triumphs of their journeys, learn more below about what each set out to do and see where they ended up.

CAROLINA PAZ

Muralist | Peru

An urban artist from Peru, Caro traveled to the Carapongo Valley in Chosica, which is about two hours from Lima, where she created a workshop for high school students that focuses on the empowerment of girls. Called “Poder Está Dentro de Mí” (I Have The Power in Me) and working in groups and in one-on-ones, the workshop used creativity, art and imagination to develop the girls’ confidence, trust, love, self esteem of themselves, all through the lens of super heroines.

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

FABIAN RUIZ

Street Performer | Costa Rica

A one-man band who plays a slide guitar made from a skateboard, Fabian, built himself a new skate slide guitar and augmented his one-man-band set up in advance for stateside debut at the #ThisFirst wrap party in Austin.

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

CANARUS LEON

Dancer | Houston, TX, USA

Once Canarus got a taste of B-boying there was no turning back, as a member of the crews, MZK and RAD, Canarus traveled the country in hopes of qualify for and competing in the Freestyle championships in a Los Angeles.

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

SARA BECKER

Artist | Philadelphia, PA, USA

A printmaker and illustrator who through her art is working to challenge the stigma of mental illness. Sara partook in the Printmaking National Exhibition in Kansas City and worked towards securing a membership to a print shop and getting reacquainted with the creative scene in her home town of Philadelphia since moving back from South Carolina.

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

JOANNA PAINTER

Artist | United Kingdom

A large format charcoal and pastel artist, Joanna began a new large format charcoal piece that captured the beauty of her local break, Holywell Bay in Cornwall, and combined her passions of art and ocean conservation. When completed, the piece will have taken her well over 100 hours.

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

ÁNGEL PÉREZ

Filmmaker | Spain

Having studied filmmaking, but not knowing where to start, Àngel invented a fictitious brand of horchata so that he could create commercials for the company. He began production on Horchata Perez Ortega – The Movie, a musical that will continue his Horchata... franchise.

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

ATSUSHI MIKI

Drummer | Japan

Mixing his love for the drums and all things percussion with Wadaiko, the traditional drum in Japan, Atsushi lugged his Wadaiko out to various spots in natural and man-made spots to inspire new recordings.

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

TYLAH KERR

Concert Promoter & Artist Manager | Melbourne, Australia

Tylah worded hard at to set up a show in Melbourne. She’s booked the venue, The Gasometer Hotel, and the bands, Hideous Sun Demon, Vacations, The Tiny Giants, Pseudo Mind Hive, Bloom, and Etienne Maneteli. Proceeds from the show, benefited the charity Make Life Skate Life, a non-profit organization creating community skateparks around the world, a cause that resonates with her dating back to a trip she took to Nepal when she was 16 years old.

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

BRANDON CLEMENTS

Podcaster & Journalist | Houston, TX, USA

Realizing he was meant to be facilitating conversations, Brandon is stopping at nothing to build his podcast and other journalistic endeavors. With the realization of the opportunity #ThisFirst presented to him, Brandon began work on a new podcast called In Transit.

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

CHEN YU CHING

Volunteer | Taiwan

Passionate about helping those in need, Chen is working to help revitalize schools, mentor young leaders and dreams of one day starting her own organization to foster volunteer work. Next stop India.

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

ROBERT WALL

Cliff Jumper | Burney, CA, USA

A drone piloting freestyle cliff jumping adventure seeker from Northern CA, looking to legitimize the sport by bringing greater awareness to people pioneering the sport. Robert traveled all over the western United States as well as to Greece to spread his love for cliff jumping.

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

TIM BRIGGS

Photographer | Boston, MA, USA

A underwater and conservation photographer who wants to bring greater awareness to the issues facing the Earth’s oceans, lakes and waterways. Tim traveled to La Paz in Baja, Mexico to work with the Environmental Defense Fund to study a local population of sea lions as well as the local fishing industry to introduce sustainable fishing techniques to reduce by-catch.

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

STEFFEN TÜRMER

Photographer | Germany

A mechanical engineering student with a passion for bicycling and analog photography, Steffen biked from Germany all the way to France to the Atlantic ocean documenting the trip using expired film.

NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING, A LOOK BACK THE VOLCOM #THISFIRST WINNERS' JOURNEYS

SIMÓN SEPÚLVEDA

Designer | Chile

Simón is tackling social issues through his artwork and exploring the plight of the Haitian migrants in his home country of Chile, who are in search of a better life as they flee from their ravaged country.