We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Xinyi(Velma) Ma a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Xinyi(Velma), thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

My parents never forced me to pursue anything I didn’t enjoy. Instead, they fully supported my ideas—both emotionally and financially while I figured out my path. This is quite different from the traditional expectations in many Chinese or Asian households, especially considering my parents didn’t have the privilege of higher education and built their success through sheer hard work.

Many of my peers were told what to study for college, but I had the freedom to explore my interests. This not only gave me full control over my life but also encouraged me to take risks and think outside the box. Without the pressure of rigid expectations, I could focus purely on what I truly wanted, rather than feeling stuck in something that didn’t inspire me.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I studied sculpture in college and always enjoyed visiting galleries and watching shows. At the same time, I developed a deep passion for cooking, which led me to start my own dinner club, BoneSome, where I host intimate dining experiences for friends and their guests.
After graduating and completing several internships, I realized I wanted a hands-on, creative career rather than a traditional office job. That’s when I discovered food styling—a niche field that combines artistry with culinary presentation, focusing on styling food for restaurant brands, commercials, and advertising. To break into the industry, I reached out to food stylists in the city, introduced myself, and asked to assist on set. Meanwhile, I also took on small commissions through personal connections.
Looking ahead, I aim to further establish my brand, gain more experience as a styling assistant, expand my dinner club, participate in pop-ups, and eventually develop my own line of tableware and utensils—possibly collaborating with ceramic artists to bring my vision to life.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Graduating from art school, we were trained extensively in creating and critiquing work, but there was little focus on preparing for the realities of a creative career. Despite my efforts to ready myself for the workforce, I still felt a disconnect after graduating. I believe society and educational institutions could better support artists by providing structured resources on essential professional skills, such as protecting creative rights, navigating interviews and resumes, handling taxes, and networking within the industry especially when someone choose to do freelance or contact work. While these skills can be learned independently, having a formal system in place would save time and better equip emerging creatives to thrive.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For many of us, creating isn’t just a profession—it’s the only way to feel truly alive. Despite the value of compliments or critique from the outside, the most rewarding aspect for me is the deep sense of personal fulfillment upon completing something fully on my own will. I hold myself to high standards, and overcoming challenges to create something I’m proud of is incredibly satisfying. This kind of fulfillment is unique because, unlike working for someone else’s vision, it comes entirely from within—driven by my own passion and creative pursuit.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://velmamaxinyi.wixsite.com/velmamaxinyi
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/velmamaxinyi/?hl=en
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xinyi-ma-16b766243

Image Credits

IG: @preservedsunset, @_lemonieie