Ep. 14: The Joy in Art: How Shelly Kim Turned Burnout into Opportunity

Art + Audience

In this episode, Stacie welcomes the vibrantly passionate Shelly Kim, the artist behind Letters by Shells. Shelly shares her incredible journey from discovering art as a stress-relief hobby to building a thriving business that has embraced a multitude of creative outlets, including lettering, digital art, and DIY projects. Discover how Shelly navigated periods of burnout, found joy in artistic exploration, and learned the invaluable lesson of outsourcing to sustain her passion.

Today on Art + Audience:

• Shelly’s Art Origin Story: How art transformed from a simple hobby into a full-fledged career. Initially, Shelly began lettering to unwind from work stress and found joy in creating without constraints.

• The Evolution of Craft: Shelly explains how experimenting with various art mediums, from watercolors to digital iPad drawings, helped rejuvenate her love for creativity, especially during the pandemic.

• Authenticity Over Niche: Insights into why Shelly chose not to confine herself to a single artistic niche, allowing her work to evolve organically and leading to unexpected opportunities like press-on nail collaborations and partnerships with major brands like Michaels.

• Outsourcing and Support: Shelly candidly shares the turning point when she realized the necessity of asking for help to prevent burnout. She highlights her initial struggle with accomplishing tasks and how hiring a video editor and virtual assistant has positively impacted her workload and creativity.

• Lessons from Mistakes: The importance of not overloading oneself and learning to delegate effectively—crucial takeaways for any creative entrepreneur.

• Advice for Artists: Shelly’s encouragement for artists to celebrate their achievements, no matter how small, and to stay connected to the joy that sparked their creative journey.

Connect with Shelly Kim:

• Instagram: @lettersbyshells

• Website: lettersbyshells.com

Connect with Stacie Bloomfield:

• Subscribe, Rate and Review: Art + Audience Podcast

• Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com

• Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart

• Facebook: @ShopGingiber

• Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber

• Join the Creative Powerhouse Society and build a profitable art business with Stacie Bloomfield, visit leverageyourart.com/membership or email [e-mail]