Today we’d like to introduce you to Ellyn Broderick.
Hi Ellyn, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Growing up my parents always encouraged us to write, draw, sing, dance and makeup songs and characters. The root of everything I do and everything I am is because my parents (and family and friends) supported my creativity (and dramatic tendencies) while also creating so much magic for us as kids. I was a quiet kid at school and generally a pretty anxious kid, and I really found myself, my passion, and a lot of healing in the arts.
I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from Northern Kentucky University and entered the work world feeling pretty lost and overwhelmed by student loan debt and the gravity of just being an adult in the world. In 2015 I hit a point where I was unemployed, heartbroken, and surrendering to not knowing what was next. I bought a pad of watercolor paper on clearance and my mom shared her old watercolors with me and I spent hours of my unemployed time painting, drawing, and really taking my broken heart and turning it into art. It was around that same time that I found improv and from there life really started opening up for me. It almost felt as if I had to be cracked open a little bit so all that light and joy could get in.
I started selling my art out of my mom’s art studio, I worked as a teaching artist teaching children ages 4-14, I became a member of OTRimprov, Improv Cincinnati’s Hot Mic (a musical improv team), and ComedySportz Cincinnati, and found work during the day that supported all the extracurriculars I wanted to pursue. I created my Instagram account: @eltonb_makesart to share all of my artistic endeavors from writing, to watercolor to everything in between. It wasn’t until the pandemic that I took the time to create a website, open an Etsy shop and start getting more serious about my art.
It’s been a multitude of baby steps that put me here. And a lot of days it didn’t feel like the steps I was taking were even moving me forward at all. But every little effort counts. I did my first in-person market in the fall of 2021 and I will have my third market in July. My partner and I are now Co-Managers of ComedySportz Cincinnati and I was able to get back on stage in the Cincinnati Fringe Festival production of Wuthering: a musical on the moors. There have been (and likely will be) a lot of days with tears and second-guessing and wondering what I’m doing and if any of it matters. But I’m learning those days are part of the journey and necessary–they can fuel us or paralyze us, but either way, they are needed.
Moving forward my aim is to continue to make art that is accessible and affordable–whether that is on stage or on paper/canvas because I believe that everyone should have accessibility to the arts. I believe the arts are one of our greatest tools as humans–the arts foster empathy, open-mindedness, community and so much more. I’m so thankful that I get to be an artist in Cincinnati where the arts are really shaping the energy of the city.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has been twisty, turny, bumpy, smooth, slippery, and has had a few pot holest. My anxiety kept me pretty paralyzed or living in a contained way since I was a kid. I was functioning, but not at my fullest capacity. It was very much a 24/7 struggle and through therapy and anti-anxiety medication, I’ve finally found some balance. My mental health took a heavy toll on my physical health. To be honest I was nervous to start medication because I didn’t want to not feel like myself. The major plot twist is that I actually feel more like myself than ever before. There are still tricky days, I still have anxiety, but it’s like someone turned down the volume. It makes life more livable. A huge obstacle is a just plain old fear. There’s a lot I haven’t fully tried yet because until now I was afraid or unsure that it was possible. I’m realizing more and more that life is too short to not at least try the things that light us up inside. All of that said, I’ve been incredibly lucky with the support system I have and the opportunities I’ve encountered. The immense privilege I have is not lost on me and is a reminder that it’s my responsibility to do what I can with what I have to make life sweeter for others.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a creative–a fine artist, a performer, a writer, a teaching artist. My art business, Elton B Makes Art, specializes in greeting cards, art prints, and stickers. As a performer, I do a lot of theatre and improv–doing musical improv with Improv Cincinnati’s Hot Mic and managing/playing with ComedySportz Cincinnati. As a writer, I have written plays, poetry, and short stories and recently started a blog. I tend to float between disciplines, but I would say across the board I’m known for my whimsical and thoughtful approach to my work. I’m most proud of the way my art connects with people–whether it’s an improvised song or a sketch about feelings–I’m so proud and honored that people feel seen and validated when they see my work. I think what sets me apart is the ability to articulate hard feelings through my work in a way that is accessible, digestible, and encouraging.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
By nature, I would not say I’m a huge risk-taker. But I would also say risk-taking is a muscle that I’ve worked really hard on strengthening through practice and patience, and mainly through improv. Few things strengthen the risk-taking muscle faster than jumping out on stage with no script or plan and just going for it! My anxiety makes my brain think literally everything–just being alive–is a risk. Anxiety is very much about “What if?” which is also a core question in risk-taking. So, in a strange way, anxiety has really forced me to befriend the idea of risk. You won’t find me parachuting any time soon, but you will find me being vulnerable in most things I do and that to me is a huge risk. It’s hard to be your full self, to be vulnerable and talk about your feelings, to love–it’s risky! When I quit my first corporate job out of college with no backup plan–that was risky (and I realize I was incredibly fortunate that I could live at home with my parents). But in that risk, I found art. I found gentleness. I found more of myself. I have found that risking failure is scary but not risking anything and never knowing is scarier.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.eltonbmakesart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eltonb_makesart/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eltonbmakesart/
