Meet Kim Ellis

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kim Ellis. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kim below.

Kim, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
Growing up, I was often the only Asian person in the room. I was adopted at 10 months from South Korea, and grew up with my parents, who are both white. I was often resentful of being alone and felt like an outsider. I despised my “otherness” for years, hoping to make my differences disappear.
As an adult, I now have three “blasian” (half black and half Asian) kids, three white stepdaughters (all with blue eyes), and a son who’s half white and half Asian. Helping them to find their place in the world has helped me as well.
I now embrace my long forgotten Korean culture. My third children’s book will focus on my journey from wondering why I don’t look like my adopted parents, to reuniting with my birth family.
Now, I gladly watch K-dramas, cook Korean food (I love japchae!), and learn more about my heritage every day. I believe this reinventing of myself is a way to have joy in who God made me to be.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a children’s book author and illustrator, having published “Butterflies for Rory” and “Zach’s Family.” My third book about my Korean adoption journey is set to be published in 2024. I have been the owner of an independent painter party business for the past 10 years. I was voted Suffolk News Herald’s “Local’s Choice” in the category of Best Local Author for two years in a row, in 2021 and 2022.
I have been an art teacher and private tutor for over 17 years.
I am the owner of Kim Ellis Creates Etsy shop, and you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The first skill that is absolutely necessary for success is resilience. Life will bring its ups and downs, and any career can make you feel that it’s not worthwhile. But if you have resilience, you can move and grow with each new obstacle. Creativity is also a must. It might sound obvious for an artist need this skill, but creativity goes beyond making art. It’s a way to rethink what already is, to put things together in a new and possibly unexpected way.
Finally, the third skill needed to be successful is networking. I don’t mean wearing a name tag and going to an event. My type of networking and involves putting value to each face you encounter. Every single person you meet has a backstory, and “why” and a purpose, and a way that they connect to their community. If you can find that quality in each person you meet, you will always find a friend wherever you go.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
One of the books that has helped shape my thinking is “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. As a small business owner, I make my own schedule and work independently. Whatever time I invest in my art, needs to give me the best results. James Clear suggests designing your environment for success. He says that “environment design is powerful… it influences how we engage with the world…” So to follow his thoughts, I set up my desk to focus on only the projects that I need to get done immediately. Everything else goes into my white IKEA file drawers, completely out of sight.
I also love the rule that says, “When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.” It speaks into my new motto for 2024.- “What if it’s easy?” (instead of being hard.) Easy, I can do. Having a mindset for success often involves making your life not feel so challenging. This can start with how we approach our habits.

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Image Credits
Owen Burke

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