Meet Caitlyn Fong

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Caitlyn Fong a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Caitlyn , appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

It’s not always easy to stay in a creative mindset but personally, I find that keeping idle hands busy can help the flow of ideas. I’ve always been a hands-on kind of person and I think that motivates me to materialise thoughts into something tangible.

Sometimes it begins with a pencil and some silly doodles. It doesn’t have to be good and every now and then, that’s where the ideas show themselves. Sometimes it’s the strum of guitar chords. I can’t say I’m exceptionally musical but a particular sound or melody can certainly spark a creative line of thought.

In times I’ve hit bigger walls of creative block, I find that something as simple as taking a walk outside can be quite refreshing. Sometimes fragments of ideas don’t align until I fully take a step back and reset my mind. Being surrounded by nature is the best way to do it. It’s even better when you have someone to talk to. A conversation can really help to enlighten a situation and help fan the creative flame.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am an embroidery artist from Edinburgh, Scotland and I love to create delicate one of a kind pieces by hand. 5 years ago, LittleBlueOnyx began as an outlet for me to capture scenes and characters from animation and games that I love. At first, I thought that people were only interested in embroidery with references to those topics but I was pleasantly mistaken. Creating original pieces has allowed me to develop my style of embroidery and showcase the passion I have for the craft.

The pieces I create are whimsical, sometimes sprinkled with a dreamy atmosphere and in most cases, nature themed. The organic placement and judgment of where each stitch should go takes hours of precision so it’s definitely a labour of love. I believe this is what makes each embroidery unique which is exactly what I’m determined to offer.

When I receive requests for custom pieces, I’m always grateful to get the opportunity. I get to see a glimpse into a special moment that a customer wants to commemorate whether it’s celebratory or a delicate sentiment. In all cases, I know that the value of what I’m creating is worth more than what you see on the surface.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I think perseverance is definitely a quality that helped me develop my craft. Embroidery is a skill of precision and detail and at times, you get half way through a project and wonder if it’s even worth finishing. Continuing with a piece of artwork though you’re feeling disheartened can be difficult, but it’s possible for the end result to be just as you had hoped. When it’s not, you can still use the outcome to plan ahead for your next attempt and make changes. There is always something to take away from seeing your project through to the end.

Try not to overwork yourself. I have to admit that in my earlier days, I would work all day and night and then sometimes into the early hours of the morning. It caused me to burn out more often and the high of completing the project was not enough to dispel my fatigue. Nowadays, I have a more balanced schedule and I’m able to tell myself, that’s enough for today! You deserve a break.

Have confidence in yourself! Some days, things don’t turn out the way you want despite all the work and hours you put in. However, that doesn’t mean you’re not making any progress. I’ve come a long way from when I first began and I wouldn’t be where I am without making a few mistakes. Failure is progress too and further down the line when you look back on your earlier projects, you’ll realise that your efforts were not wasted.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

Improving is a constant and there are many techniques within embroidery that I’ve been practicing and trying for the first time even now.

Most recently I’ve been immersing myself in learning about stumpwork, which is a beautiful way of creating 3D embroidery. Although it has existed for so long, it’s new to me and I’m so excited that this is an avenue I get to explore.

There is still a lot to learn and as I acquire more skills along the way, I will try to incorporate them into my work and continue to develop an embroidery style that is unique to LittleBlueOnyx.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleblueonyx/
• Other: Email: littleblueonyx@outlook.com