Art unites people.
Elysia King-
“I love that art connects people, no matter where they’re from, no matter their age.”
For artist Elysia King, the journey into art was not something she always imagined would become her full time path. Based in St. Louis, Elysia’s story is one of creativity, courage, and trusting what was possible even when it did not begin as the plan.
Before stepping fully into the art world, Elysia worked as a full time nurse, balancing work, family, and creativity on the side. While art had always been a part of her life, she did not see it as a realistic career path at first. It was something she did for friends, something that brought her joy, but not something she expected would one day open the door to a new future.
That changed in 2020.
What started as a kind gesture painting a friend’s wedding quickly turned into something much bigger. After sharing the work online, Elysia began receiving requests from others who wanted her to paint at their weddings. From there, what once felt like a side hobby began to grow into a steady stream of opportunities. By November 2021, she made the leap from nursing into art full time, stepping fully into a new chapter with faith, talent, and six months of work already booked.
Since then, Elysia’s creative path has only continued to grow.
One of her earliest exterior projects in St. Louis happened right here in The Grove, where she was invited to paint floral work on the exterior of The Dogwood. That mural marked an important moment in her career as her first exterior project in the city and became a launching point for even more opportunities. Since then, she has connected with business owners, clients, and spaces across St. Louis, continuing to leave her mark through both interior and exterior work.
At the center of Elysia’s story is a deep belief in the power of art to bring people together.
As she shared in her interview, “Art unites people.” For Elysia, art is something that reaches across age, background, and experience. It creates connection where there may have once been distance and brings life into spaces in ways that people can feel. She also spoke to the way art can respond to hardship, saying there is “so much opportunity to create beauty when there’s brokenness.” That perspective reflects not only her work as an artist, but also her vision for how creativity can shape communities.
Elysia’s story is a reminder that art is more than paint on a wall. It is connection. It is transformation. It is a way of helping people see beauty, possibility, and one another. Through her work, she continues to show how public art can impact a city not just visually, but emotionally and culturally as well.
As her journey continues, one thing is clear: Elysia King is helping shape the creative spirit of St. Louis, one project at a time.
If you want to explore more artist stories and creative voices shaping our city, be sure to follow along with Stories of Color.