Ellie Kim
Ellie Kim grew up in an environment that did not value art, literature, or writing. In her family, creative pursuits were often viewed as impractical or even a waste of time, a perspective she learned to navigate early on. While that lack of encouragement was discouraging at times, it also shaped a sense of independence in how she approached making. As an only child with few peers nearby, she spent much of her time alone, turning inward and developing a private relationship with creativity.
Her entry into art began through small, informal means. Kim recalls being surrounded by DIY kits purchased by her mother, which sparked an early fascination with hands-on making. Those activities gradually evolved into independent art projects, laying the groundwork for a practice developed largely outside of formal instruction. Without access to arts education or a creative community, she immersed herself in materials on her own, spending long hours with paintbrushes and colored pencils and learning through repetition and persistence. Much of her early work was made for her mother and even her dog, a routine that helped her build both skill and confidence over time.
Kim has not received formal education in the arts. Instead, her development came through sustained personal effort and an abundance of time spent creating during childhood. She views that accumulation of small, repetitive acts of making as central to reaching her current stage as an artist.
She is currently a sophomore in high school, enrolled in AP Art, where her sustained investigation focuses on the physical manifestations of post-traumatic stress disorder. Her work often takes the form of paintings or illustrations of isolated body parts, rendered with exaggerated anatomy and saturated color. Repetition plays a significant role in her practice, both visually and conceptually. In a recent project, she produced thirty realistic charcoal drawings of hands, using the repeated form to echo the cyclical nature of traumatic memory.
These motifs are drawn directly from lived experience. Kim uses anatomical imagery to represent the physical symptoms associated with PTSD, translating recurring flashbacks into repeated visual forms. Certain body parts recur intentionally, including imagery such as bleeding lips, referencing compulsive behaviors tied to anxiety and stress. The work functions less as metaphor and more as direct documentation, allowing physical detail to stand in for internal experience.
Her creative process, like that of many students her age, is shaped by pressure, deadlines, and fatigue. She describes her routine candidly, noting frequent procrastination and late nights spent finishing work just before it is due. Despite these challenges, she continues to produce work with intensity and focus, driven by a need to externalize what she is experiencing internally.
Kim is currently completing her AP Art course, with only a few assignments remaining. She is also preparing for her first private exhibition in San Francisco, California, a milestone that marks a significant transition in her creative trajectory. As she continues to develop her practice, her work remains grounded in specificity, repetition, and a commitment to representing personal experience with clarity and honesty.
