About the Artist

Caitlin Xiong is a Hmong-American illustrator from

Eau Claire, Wisconsin. She is currently studying at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD). She is on her way to earning her BFA in Illustration and has completed a minor in Communication Design.

 

During her freshman year at MIAD she entered and was awarded third place in the 2013 Foundations Juried Exhibition with her illustration of a, Lychee, depicting love through an embroidery of Hmong words. Her work is rooted from her admiration of her Hmong culture, and the beautiful past works of her grandfather’s paj ntaub (pahn-dao). Some of her recent works are a hybrid of blending Hmong culture and American culture.

 

Hmoob Dej Ntshiab Artist, well what does that mean?

 

Whenever Caitlin gets the chance she likes to share her knowledge of the Hmong culture through her art, as well as through language. She is still practicing and hoping to encourage others along with her to become fluent in Hmong.

 

In Hmong, dej (day) means water, and ntshiab (chia) means clear or pure, altogether meaning, Clear Water. Eau Claire is also known as Clear Water, WI, where Caitlin was born and raised. She often makes references to the bodies of water in her hometown in her own paintings and design. She enjoys singing and listening to music in both Hmong and English, reading, fishing, and hanging out with family and friends whenever she gets the chance to.