Icons in the Cycling Artistry: Caitlin Fielder

Photo credit: @rsalanova

Receiving press around the world for her creative craft and being a prolific trail runner, Caitlin Fielder, knows her way around unique surfaces to showcase her artistry. SILCA first notice her when GCN highlighted her custom painted pair shoes for the Tadej Pogaçar Cancer Research Foundation (featured below). The DMT shoes were auctioned off for the foundation and raised over $10,000. While her creative side is only part of who she is, the beautiful shoes with her unique style has caught everyone's attention worldwide.

We chatted with Fielder and here is our mini interview:

SILCA: How did your style evolve or what inspires you?
CF: My style is constantly changing, depending on what type of art excites me at that given time. I get a lot of inspiration from nature, which I am lucky enough to experience while I am out training every day.

SILCA: What are your favourite races as a cyclist?
CF: I love the Tour of Lombardy, or the race of the falling leaves. It was the first race I ever watched when I came to Europe and I fell in love with Lake Como and the Lombardy region. It's an incredibly beautiful time of year to be there, the spectators are all so enthusiastic and the race itself is really exciting to watch.

SILCA: Any inspirational words for 2023 riding season?
CF: I think just make the most of getting out to ride when you can, and enjoy being in nature!

SILCA: What motivated you to start cycling?
CF: I ride to help with my training as a professional trail runner, but I love the contrast between mountain running and road riding. It's nice to be able to experience going faster and have low impact while being able to see so much.

          Photo credit: @christianmmeier

SILCA: How long have you painting, and when did you discover your talent?
CF: I have done art for a long time, all through high school, but it was never something I studied properly. It wasn't until I moved to Europe that I decided to make it my own business and full time job. Initially I created my business to be painting dog and animal portraits, and then it evolved into customizing cycling shoes (with still some small amount of different art on the side).

We commissioned Fielder to bring her unique creativity to create the Limited Artist Edition, Caitlin Fielder Super Pista Ultimate Floor Pumps. We currently have five pumps painted by Caitlin Fielder and will be coming soon to silca.cc.

SILCA: What was your inspiration for each of the pumps?
CF: I really wanted to make the pumps have a similar theme, but also for each to be individual and be a unique stand-alone piece of artwork. I based each pump roughly off of the four seasons, with the 5^th black and white pump being a mix between all four seasons.

"I created these shoes before the Tour de France 2022 for Tadej Pogačar. He wanted to create a special pair of shoes with myself and DMT to announce the Tadej Pogačar Cancer Research Foundation. He first wore these special shoes on Stage 7 (La Super Planche des Belles Filles) of the Tour de France, and won the stage. The lavender ribbon on the inside and outside of the shoes represents cancer as a whole. Tadej also auctioned off these shoes after winning the stage in them, and also wearing the yellow jersey for the TDF whilst doing so. 

The Foundation is dedicated to funding and promoting research to treat and cure cancer in the future. Specifically, the Foundation will focus on raising funds for cancer research in the fields of cancer metabolism and exercise oncology. New and promising research is revealing the beneficial effects of physical activity on the prevention, treatment and prognosis of cancer. A better understanding of the benefits of exercise and cancer metabolism requires urgent research and funding."

Another Caitlin Fielder article: CyclingNew.com

Check out Caitlin Fielder Fine Art either on her website, www.caitlinfielderfineart.com or her IG account: @caitlinfielder_fineart