Fiona Faye Simpson

Los Angeles, CA

“Each moment spent weaving is a radical act of autonomy, choice, and freedom.”

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Fiona Faye Simpson has always carried within her a deep sense of curiosity, sensitivity, and resilience. From an early age, she grappled with what it meant to be included. “Growing up, I always struggled to fit in with my peers. I remember feeling invisible and wanting to belong,” she reflects. In a world where she often felt out of place, creating allowed her to carve out a space where she could simply be herself.

In Fiona’s words: “When creating, I didn’t have to try to be something I wasn’t. Art became a way for me to embrace being myself and learn what it means to be authentic.” What once felt like an isolating difference became the foundation of her individuality. “I began to believe that what made me feel like I didn’t belong was what made me unique.”

Raised in a household where creativity was not only valued but celebrated, Fiona’s path as an artist was nurtured from the beginning. Her father, a contemporary jazz musician, filled their home with improvisation and rhythm, while her mother, with her hands always in textiles, unknowingly set Fiona on her future course. “It was my mom who introduced me to fiber art,” she recalls. “She taught me how to knit and embroider when I was a child, never realizing textiles would become my passion.”

Surrounded by instruments, fabric, and brushes, Fiona was given access not just to supplies, but to an atmosphere that celebrated exploration and experimentation. “I’m so grateful that I was raised by creative parents,” she says, “because I always had access to art classes, supplies, and their endless support as I’ve pursued a creative career.”

Fiona’s art is inseparable from her personal journey of self-acceptance. She has lived with ADHD and navigated the challenges of trauma, experiences that once made her feel limited or incapable. Over time, she reframed these struggles, allowing her to move forward with compassion for herself. “I’ve learned that acceptance of the past is the most powerful way to move forward,” she explains. “Through accepting my ADHD and my trauma, I’ve learned the power of gratitude.”

This philosophy infuses her creative process. Each piece becomes an act of presence and acknowledgment, a celebration of the moments that inspire her. “I know what love, joy, laughter, and inspiration feel like, and it is those moments that drive me,” she shares. Whether weaving, knitting, or embroidering, Fiona treats art-making as both a meditation and a translation.

Fiona’s work is rooted in her belief that the visual world is its own language - one that bridges senses, emotions, and sound. “When I feel the sun on my skin, I wonder what color could represent the warmth and brightness of the sky. When I listen to music, I imagine how large or small each note of an instrument looks like.” Her practice becomes a way of translating the intangible into form, color, and texture, allowing viewers to experience sensations through her chosen materials.

Textiles in particular have become her vessel of communication. The tactile quality of fiber art allows her to engage with rhythm and structure in ways that echo the improvisational jazz she grew up with, while also giving her a grounded, hands-on connection to her ideas. “Experimenting with new techniques and making creative decisions has proven that I do have the ability to engage and learn,” she reflects. “Art has shown me that I am curious, thoughtful, and decisive.”

Outside of her studio, Fiona’s life is deeply enriched by her love of animals, especially cats. Having grown up surrounded by them, she now shares her home with Daisy and Milo, two felines whose quiet companionship provides daily lessons. “My cats teach me how to be present,” she says warmly. “Simply playing with or petting them never fails to bring me into the moment.” For Fiona, these small gestures of connection mirror the grounding she finds in her art.

Today, Fiona Faye Simpson continues to live and create in Los Angeles, weaving together memory, sensation, and gratitude in her art. She sees her work as both personal and universal: a testament to resilience and an invitation for others to find beauty in their own authenticity. What once felt like a burden- the challenges of belonging, of learning differently, of carrying trauma- has become the spark that fuels her artistry.

Her story is a reminder that creativity can be a pathway not just to expression, but to healing and transformation. As Fiona herself says: “Art was a way for me to find myself, regardless of the belief that something was wrong or different about me. Now I know, that difference is my gift.”