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UW Foster Alum Kimberly Chan Brings Joyful Floral Art to Seattle’s Lake City
Kimberly Chan discovers a new way to use her Foster education to connect with the community, one painted peony at a time.
Written by: Kya Baker, contributing writer, Foster School of Business
Seattle is a tech giant. With iconic companies such as Salesforce, Expedia, Microsoft, Smartsheet, and Amazon in the spotlight, some tend to overlook Seattle’s ever-present art scene. But not Kimberly Chan, who dove headfirst into a career as an artist following a successful business career.
Chan, a Double Dawg who earned her Bachelor’s in 2007 and MBA in 2013 from the Foster School of Business, is now using her expertise in business to connect with her community and launch an art career. Her work is currently on display in Seattle Restored’s Lake City Window Art Installation, which runs until Feb. 20, 2026. You can also explore more of her work at Cute Fun Joy Designs.
In this Q&A, Chan discusses her career pivot, why her artistic ventures create space for joy and connection, and how Foster enabled her with the confidence to pursue her passions.
What inspired you to transition from a career in tech to art, and how has that journey connected you back to your heritage?
Kimberly Chan: As a hardworking and entrepreneurial person, I’ve always been drawn to building things from the ground up. After years in the tech industry, I saw an opportunity to create a career that would be more personally rewarding — one where I could connect directly with the people who experience my work, and where I could leverage all of my strengths as a creative thinker, strategist, and builder.
Art allows me to be nimble and adaptable, balancing intuition with data-driven decision making — something that energizes me every day. Along the way, I’ve also reconnected with my heritage as a Hong Kong–born Chinese American, drawing inspiration from the flower markets I grew up visiting and from the rich visual traditions of Lunar New Year. I hope to one day build bridges back to Hong Kong’s art scene, and to share my work on an international stage.
Looking back at your time at Foster, what experiences stand out most, and how do you see your business education shaping your work as an artist?
Kimberly Chan: My years at the Foster School of Business equipped me with the strategic mindset and business fundamentals I use daily to build my art career.
As an undergraduate, I developed cross-cultural communication skills through the nonprofit Foundation for International Understanding Through Students (FIUTS), which shaped how I build relationships today. In the MBA program, professors like Christina Fong (Negotiations), Cate Goethals (whose program through which I consulted for a nonprofit in India), Shailendra Pratap Jain (Core Marketing), and Elizabeth Stearns (Advanced Marketing) deeply influenced me.
Those experiences gave me the tools to think strategically, communicate clearly, and follow through — skills that now underpin how I build my creative practice, connect with collectors, and grow my presence in the art world. I see this as laying the foundation for a sustainable career — one rooted in creativity, community, and growth, while guided by the long-term strategic thinking I developed at Foster.
Your work is filled with flowers with rich cultural meaning. Do you have a personal favorite, and what does it represent for you?
Kimberly Chan: I’ve painted many different flowers — peonies, dahlias, tulips, gladioluses, orchids, cosmos — and I honestly don’t have just one favorite. I choose each flower because of how it makes me feel and how it fits the story I want to tell in that piece.
If I had to choose one that ties my story together, it would be peach blossoms. They bloom during Lunar New Year and symbolize renewal and new beginnings — exactly what this artistic chapter has been for me.
Seattle Restored is all about bringing new life and creativity into communities. How does it feel to see your art lighting up a Lake City storefront in Seattle this fall?
Kimberly Chan: It feels surreal and deeply meaningful. This installation is a major milestone — just a year ago, I was beginning this art journey, and now my work is becoming part of the public landscape in my own community.
My art practice has already brought me into neighborhoods across the region — from Everett to Burien, Redmond to White Center, and all across Seattle. I don’t just place art in a space and walk away; I see every show as a chance to connect with the community, other artists, and the local businesses that support us. I often promote their work alongside mine, because I believe when one of us rises, we can bring others with us. I hope this installation brings a burst of color and joy to Lake City this fall, and becomes part of its creative heartbeat.
What do you hope people feel when they experience your art?
Kimberly Chan: I want people to feel joy, calm, and connection — especially in times that feel heavy or uncertain. Flowers are a universal language. My work isn’t just about depicting them, but about capturing the emotional spark of beauty and letting it stay with you.
I hope my installations become a place of welcome — where people from different backgrounds and life stages can see themselves reflected, even if our stories are different. That sense of belonging is what I want to offer through my art.
Discover more of Kimberly Chan’s art at Cute Fun Joy Designs and don’t miss her installation in Lake City, now through Feb. 20, 2026.
