Meet Ellis Fox

We were lucky to catch up with Ellis Fox recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ellis, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

When I think back to the roots of my confidence, my first memories are in my childhood living room. I’d be waving my arms with my brother, seeing my mom and dad kicking their feet, and we’d just dance wild all together. My family encouraged me to pursue expression as openly as I could when I was young, and with that freedom, I turned to my love of real and imagined creatures! Something about their strangeness was comforting, and I felt very seen by all kinds of monsters and folktales. I had a harder time connecting with kids growing up, but when I drew animals and shared them, I could communicate with people in ways I couldn’t before. When I entered college, though, I started to detach myself from those interests after being told I wouldn’t make it as an artist with that kind of work. I felt silly, and shifted my art to what I imagined would satisfy that idea of a real creative.

When I caught myself slipping into work that felt distant, I knew what groundwork I was missing! Now, so much of my life has been about returning to the narratives and creatures that felt the most honest. While I embrace where the heart of my work rests, the more I am able to make stories that care for and seek to see others. That brings me the greatest sense of fulfillment. I think a whole life can be made out of at least one loved thing that is endlessly expanded on, and knowing where that love rests for me is something I’m extremely grateful for. It’s restored the purpose and confidence in my life.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

As an illustrator, I get to be silly every day. Balancing that silliness with sincerity where I reflect on awkwardness, longing for closeness, and the piled memories that come with growing, marks the space where my work breathes. And I always come back to my joy and resonance with monsters and animals to carve out those feelings. I feel like I get to be a kid again and offer a hand outstretched on a playground. I use these features in concept work for animation and games, advertising illustration, and publishing, where I am beginning to write and illustrate my own children’s books and poems. With my want to connect and care, I seek to remind kids and grownups that play is honesty, and being wild is what we’re made from.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

My desires to connect, play, and investigate authenticity have led me to places I’m really grateful for. Recently I had an experience where I shared my sketchbook with a seven-year-old boy who was curious about it. Hearing him say which characters were his favorite, or which ones he thought were scary or funny, reminded me why I draw (especially for kids). Sometimes there’s a gap of communication or understanding that only a picture can fill, and building that bridge to meet someone on the other side is worth it every time.

And for anyone developing how they navigate their own lives, either through art or not, I think giving yourself time to explore is such a key. Carving out moments to pause, and finding what makes you want to stay in that pause, reveals so much. No matter how silly, mundane, or strange, let yourself get to know the things you love when you’re alone. But when you find it, don’t tuck it away! Take your truth out to recess, and hold onto the people in your life who know theirs.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

I’ve got a batch! The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Love that Dog, and Shel Silverstein’s Poems and Drawings. They’ve each taught me to embrace the simple and to find yourself in it. Each artist says and illustrates a lot with very little. It’s something I greatly appreciate as a storyteller- to make so many feelings and narratives accessible. When I think about what I want my life to be about, it always returns to the first page of Eric Loves Animals (just like you!): “You and I are a lot alike. You like colors and I like colors. You like animals and creatures, and I like animals and creatures. And we both want to draw them. I want to share with you what I do. And I want you to be inspired to make your own art.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sylkworms.com
• Instagram: sylkworms
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellis-fox-0bb376226/