About Me
Who am I
How did I get here
What inspires me
Katelyn Saiki is currently a junior at St. Margaret's Episcopal School and a digital artist who uses aspects of her culture to inspire her work.
She comes from a multicultural background and is Japanese, Chinese, and Cambodian. Katelyn's pieces are tied to her Cambodian origins and she uses digital media to recapture the rich Khmer culture that was lost in the wake of the Cambodian genocide. Her art is an exploration of her heritage and a product of what she has learned and emotionally experienced as she delves into her cultural roots.
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She only hopes that the work she creates extends far beyond the confines of herself, revealing to her audience the potential of a culture unleashed. She believes that to be an artist is to be a visionary, storyteller, and preservationist, and she is eager to maintain the memory of her world.
Katelyn Saiki is also the founder and president of CRAFT, Cambodian Revival of Arts, Folklore, and Traditions, a nonprofit whose mission is to bring awareness to Cambodia's beautiful culture and rich history following the genocide and preserve it for future generations. CRAFT has donated books and school supplies to over 900 elementary school students across several elementary schools in Cambodia's rural countryside.
She is also the author and illustrator of Khmerical: A Collection of Cambodian Folktales which is a children's book based on authentic Cambodian folklore that aims to keep these stories alive for future generations. To spread these traditional tales, she has donated her books to libraries across Orange County and several schools and libraries in Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia. In addition, Katelyn has also formed partnerships with several branches of the Orange County YMCA and Pretend City Children's Museum to host live story times and educate youth about important facets of Cambodian culture.