Here are some of the arts and crafts I enjoy besides textile art.
Pa Pa’s Orchids 2017
Lino print
30 x 40 cm
My father had amazing green fingers. The orchids he grew were as beautiful as those exhibited in the world-famous National Orchid Garden in Singapore. In memory of him, I made an ink sketch of one of his orchids; I also reinterpreted the sketch as a black and white lino print while attending the relief printing workshop at Black Church Print Studio in Dublin.
Skyscrapers, Hong Kong 2018
Photo etching
40 x 30 cm
I took a random snapshot out the window from a building in Hong Kong, in which the window reflections produced a stunning layering effect of the iconic skyscrapers. I used this image for my photo etching workshop at Black Church Print Studio in Dublin.
In the Mood for Love 2018
Intaglio print
24 x 20 cm
In the Mood for Love (花樣年華) is a highly recommended romance movie set in Hong Kong in the early 1960s. This colour intaglio is a drypoint of one of the scenes from the movie, in which the image is drawn on a Perspex sheet using drypoint etching needle. The yellow qípáo (traditional Chinese dress) was added using the Chine-collé process. This print was made during the colour intaglio workshop at the National Print Museum in Dublin taught by Debora Ando.
Ball Dahlia 2020
Lino print
20 x 20 cm; 15 x 15 cm; 16 x 11 cm
I like dahlias. Their unique three-dimensional structure always amazes me. I made an attempt to reinterpret the beauty of dahlias through lino printing, starting with a ball dahlia. I printed with a number of pink and purple tones on Fabriano Rosaspina, Fabriano Mixed Media, and Paint’ON Multi-Techniques papers; the outcome was satisfactory.
Hanami 2021
Lino print
10 x 20 cm
This small-scale lino print is made to express my pure love for sakura/cherry blossoms, although I know nothing can fully capture the beauty of nature. I used Paint’ON Multi-Techniques paper for printing.
HKG 2019
Leather paper weight
9 x 11 x 3 cm
This leather paper weight was tailor-made to facilitate my work in book and paper conservation. It’s not hard to guess that the hand-painted “HKG” represents Hong Kong, my hometown; the Mackintosh typeface is timeless. I sourced the calf leather from Alri Star Leather Factory in Hong Kong.
Elongated Clutch 2019
8 x 19 x 6 cm
I made this calf leather clutch to match my purply dress for an important wedding. It was a last-minute decision, and the fantastic template from makesupply-leather.com saved my life. The design is simply elegant; the clutch strap is absolutely a highlight. I sewed the leather pieces with white thread in order to create a nice contrast with the purple leather. The calf leather was sourced from Alri Star Leather Factory in Hong Kong.
Willow Basket 2018
42 cm in diameter
I would not have been able to finish this willow basket without the teaching and guidance of Heike in the basket making workshop at Tinahely Farm Shop in Co. Wicklow. Heike mentioned that every weaved basket we see in shops is handmade, as there is no basket weaving machine in the world. I was quite shocked then by how low the price of these baskets generally is when compared to the amount of effort one needs to put in from start to finish (my hands were sore for a number of days after the workshop)!
This is the first basket I have ever made in my life. The darkest-coloured willow sticks used are the ones with skin on; the lightest cream-coloured ones are sticks with skin-off; the mid-tone ones are, in fact, skin-off after the steaming process.
Willow basket 2019
20 cm in diameter
It was the second time that I joined the willow basket making workshop at Tinahely Farm Shop in Co. Wicklow, taught by Heike. I aimed to make a smaller and more delicate basket than my last one, which I thought would be easier, but Heike told me that smaller baskets are indeed more difficult to make. What a challenge I gave to myself! I’m glad that the basket turned out very nicely, and I’m thinking of turning it into a handbag. It sounds a bit crazy but I’m exploring the possibility.
Puiming · Textile Art 