Preparing for the Chinese New Year Feast - Latitude Design Studio

First published in Elysiants on 24 January 2012.

Planning for your family gatherings over Chinese New Year already? Latitude Design Studio has your fine china and daily tableware covered! Producing handmade heirloom pieces through collaborating with local artisans who are strong in traditional skills, they aim to bring the old school products back to life with a contemporary spin.

Jesse McLin and Julie Progin, co-founders of Latitude, like to think that their pet project reflects their American, Swiss and Hong Kong heritage. Their designs utilise their diverse backgrounds in fine arts, product, textile and graphic design, as well as their deep desire in working with the local craftsmanship. So by shopping at their wee store, you are getting your hands on pieces that are truly unique!

Their high-end line, the Song Collection, is a selection of porcelain pieces with an icy celadon glaze finish. This line, with chargers, dinner plates, deep dishes and dessert plates, are entirely hand-carved at a family-run workshop in China's famous porcelain and ceramics production town, Jingdezhen. These will definitely make awesome conversation piece over your Chinese New Year dinner!

Inviting kids over for your meal? Don't want them to break your delicate china? No fear, Latitude also produces a more down-to-earth line that is meant for daily use. The Night Market Collection is also entirely made of porcelain, with the traditional Chinese blue glaze decorating the rims. Their sets of bowls, plates, soup bowls, spoons, and condiment dishes use the classical blue and white Chinese decorative patterns, bringing back nostalgic memories of the past.

And they don't just do tableware! Their Fragments Vases are made of porcelain with colored glaze fragments, highlighting the beauty of objects in a broken and dysfunctional manner. These are entirely handmade right here at their studio in Hong Kong, with bits broke off from traditional Chinese vase, making each of them distinctively unique from another. They also have a line of S.M.L Candleholders, which are interactive and stackable, so you can mix and match the sizes and connect them together!

Festive seasons, I must say, is a great excuse to shop for home accessories. Make an appointment with them now and grab some of these beauties that would enhance the way your cooking is presented!

Latitude Design Studio
Address: Unit 16B, Man Foong Industrial Building, 7 Cheung Lee Street, Chai Wan.
Telephone: 2480 1182
Email: info@latitude22n.com
Website: http://latitude22n.com/

Eco Glam for 2012 Spring/Summer

First published in Elysiants on 23 January 2012.

Start the new year by treating yourself with a dose of better skin! Nowadays we are definitely more conscious about what we use and consume, which is why companies have been responding to our needs and are coming up with environmentally friendly solutions. Here are a few you can try as a new year's resolution:

HK Honey

I have mentioned the Re-use Candle Making Workshop before at Shanghai Street Studios, which is being ran on the last Saturday of every month. I am totally in love with their upcycling packaging with a local twist, creating natural beeswax candles with unique scents. HK Honey, ran by designer turn urban beekeeper Michael Leung, does more than just cool workshops. When he first saw bees being kept in European city centres, he thought, if they could do it, why can't we? He never turned back, dedicating his career in harvesting locally produced honey and other bee products.

Their au naturale lychee and longan spring time honey is only available for us lucky Hong Konger, with free delivery when ordering online. Alternatively, you could pop into Kapok, Daydream Nation, or Konzepp for your very own bottle. Their candles, handmade with natural beeswax and a tint of honey fragrance, are delivered internationally. Since they are not made of any petroleum-based chemicals, these babies, coming in one big chunk or three small pieces, release a clean white smoke when they are being burnt.

They also host tours around their urban bee farm in Ngau Tau Kok, Kwun Tong. [Read: Who would have thought there would be farms there?] They really know how to enjoy life, planting fresh herbs on their rooftop farm for making honey tea, as well as baking honey biscuits for a relaxing afternoon tea. Join their candle-making workshops and sample their yummy honey sponge cake, which is natural, healthy, and above all, fresh, since most of the ingredients were sourced from local produces.

HK Honey
Address: 306 Shanghai Street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon.
Email: hello@hkhoney.org
Website: http://www.hkhoney.org

So...Soap

So...Soap is a social enterprise project ran by Bella Ip, with the aid of a non-profit organization Sustainable Lifestyle and Organic Works, aka SLOW. In search of flexi-hours work in the organic field, she went on the route of creating a startup where mothers could work near home with flexible working hours. So...Soap is now taking on women from all walks of life in their home districts all over Hong Kong, training them as soap makers. That way, they could spend more time at home caring for their family while still being able to contribute to their family's finances. Not only are their soap good for your skin, they are also good for your society.

Focusing on the concept of sustainability, they are chipping in their bit to build better skin, better air, a better living environment, and in particular, a better society. Through hand-making organic soap right here in Hong Kong with plant-based oils, natural essential oils, magnetized nano-filtered water, and alkaline substance, their products are 100% natural to suit your delicate skin. Wow, so there is actually quality organic products being locally made right here in our little city!

Their packaging is equally eco-friendly, since their bottles are reused after stringent sterilisation. Pump-head bottle are provided at your initial purchase only, which you can reuse it bottle after bottle, while the bottle itself you can give back for reuse purposes. Contact them to find your closest distribution point!

So...Soap
Telephone: 2621 3060

Email: info@sosoap.com
Website: http://www.sosoap.com/

Essie

Essie is America's favourite nail colour brand, creating formulae that don't contain harmful substance like DBP, Formaldehyde, or Toluene. Their 2012 Spring/Summer collection, the Spring Palette, is a beautiful set that is well worth investing in. The volatile economy should not be the determining factor to the way we dress, so bring on these bright colours for a good mood on the rainy days! Their six pastel colour pieces in this season's collection don't just reflect the goodness of spring, but also brightens up our skin colour, practically making our hands glow.

This mint green Navigate Her reminds me of Chanel's previous take on green, only this one is a shade lighter. Ole Caliente, on the other hand, is for those who love the sexy bright Latin American red. The light peach colour in A Crewed Interest will make the perfect base colour for a French manicure, while Orange, It’s Obvious! is a wild wild shade that words can't describe. To Buy Or Not To Buy is a pale lavender that you will instantly fall for, while the shocking pink in Tour de Finance will hijack your style. These colours are available in February 2012, so watch out for its arrival!

Cher 2

Address: Room 1202A, 12/F Century Square, 1-13 D'Aguilar Street, Central.
Telephone: 2810 0171
Email: help@cher2.com
Website: http://www.cher2.com/

Potters' Party!

Published exclusively in this site on 9 December 2011.

The Hong Kong Pottery Workshop Gallery is finally relocated to 24 Upper Street, Sheung Wan. In order to celebrate finding a new place for flaunting their masterpieces, they are hosting a house party at their latest home from 4:00pm to 9:00pm tonight, 9 December 2011.

They promised some amazing wines and intricate artwork, so do drop by tonight, enjoy a chill drink, and check out their huge collection of ceramic works before you head off to LKF for happy hour!

On another note, their New Pottery Workshop is finally settled in a new location, 3/F Hollywood House, 27 – 29 Hollywood Road, Central, right across the iconic Central Police Station.

What's more? The latest schedule for January 2012 to February 2012 is now out for application. Other than their vast range of courses being offered from weekdays to weekends, and from beginners to veteran, they also giving one-off class for private groups who wants to throw a memorable party or individuals who would like to master a certain technique. Email them to reserve your seat now!

Paper Mâché Cutting - Exhibition by Li Hong-jun

Published exclusively in this site on 29 September 2011.

Audrey and I were fortunate enough to have been invited to the opening cocktail of Li Hong-jun's exhibition, Removed, at Va Gallery last Thursday 22 September 2011. It has been a while since I was last acquainted with paper art, so naturally we were both rather excited. We got to the Peninsula promptly that evening, only to see a huge crowd gathering in the gallery already, appreciating the paper sculptures that skillfully combined techniques from the East and West.

This unique exhibition featured paper sculptures that were meticulously shaped and powerfully built. Audrey was in awe of how the artist could maneuver paper so well that the sculptures made a convincing bust, while I was amazed by how he managed to create the same image with different scale of thickness. It was a fantastic cocktail where the artist himself was present, so that the guests were able to interact with him and get to know a bit more about his inspirations and creative ideas. Drop by the gallery next time you are in Felix for a hearty meal!

Removed by Li Hong-jun
Date: From now until 29 October 2011
Address: Va Gallery, MW3, M Floor, The Peninsula Hotel, Tsim Sha Tsui
Telephone: 2368 1068
Email: info@va-gallery.com
Website: www.va-gallery.com

From Sculpting to Sculptor - Zheng Lu's Solo Exhibition

Published exclusively in this site on 19 September 2011.

An amazing contemporary Chinese sculptor Zheng Lu will be hosting his solo exhibition at Schoeni's Hollywood Road Branch Gallery starting 6 October 2011, displaying a selection of his works from the very beginning of his career to the most up-to-date installations. Passage of Time, as the exhibition is accurately named, will be his debut showcase before unveiling his public installation project at the Tuen Mun MTR station. He also recently designed a piece for the Lunghua MTR station, so when you are in Shenzhen for your massage and hotpot trip, drop by and take a look!

Originally from Inner Mongolia, Zheng Lu's formal sculpting training was conducted in China and France. He has been holding exhibitions worldwide upon his graduation, where his astonishing ability to manipulate metal and his exquisite craftsmanship in sculpting caught the attention of many art critics, art galleries, and art investors. Influenced by his family, he has been practicing Chinese calligraphy starting from a young age, which molded his appreciation in Chinese texts and characters, a factor seen practically everywhere in his creations.

Zheng Lu’s work is more than just a sculpture; it shows that poetry and calligraphy can be depicted through three dimensional art forms. Lots of Taoist inspirations and Buddhist wisdoms are expressed in his pieces, so drop Schoeni's Hollywood Road Branch Gallery at 6:30pm on 6 October 2011 before you head over to California Vintage or Angel's Share for happy hour!

Passage of Time: Solo Exhibition by Zheng Lu
Address: Schoeni Hollywood Road Branch Gallery, 27 Hollywood Road, Central
Opening Reception: 6:30pm to 8:30pm on 6 October 2011
Exhibition Date: From 7 October 2011 to 22 October 2011
Telephone: 2869 8802
Email: gallery@schoeni.com.hk
Website: http://www.schoeniartgallery.com

Further than the Darker Side - Beyond Walls

Published exclusively in this site on 8 September 2011.

I know just how far Fo Tan sounds, but trust me, they are rather civilised over there as well, so drop by Blue Lotus Gallery and Consultancy for their latest exhibition, Beyond Walls, and head over to the New Town Plaza for a comprehensive dining and shopping experience you would never have imagined!

The exhibition, as it is called Beyond Walls, can be expected to display artworks that aren't the conventional painting. Artists usually thrive in producing a huge public installation piece catered for a specific site, so in this presentation, they highlight specific public art projects, which are so different from your usual art gallery displays.

The artists participating in this event are Cornelia Erdmann, Lynn Basa, Wong Tin Yan, Simone Boon, and Silvia Chan. I have seen Wong Tin Yan's work before at the Swank's 2011 S/S Fashion Show, and his signature wooden sculptures surely blended in with the atmosphere fairly well. He has also worked with Sportmax, Louis Vuitton, and Muji in co-hosting solo exhibitions. Take a look at how he has converted Lee's Beijing flagship store with his own funky vision!

Lynn Basa, on the other hand, is a Chicago-based sculptor who is specially introduced in Hong Kong for her debut exhibition. As you head back out to the island, why not drop by the Hong Kong Science Park for some horizontal biking, and head over to Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Sha Tin Hotel for a mouthwatering dim sum buffet?

Beyond Walls
Date: From now until to 1 October 2011
Address: Blue Lotus Gallery and Consultancy, Unit 24, Floor 5, Block A, Wah Luen Industrial Building, 15-21 Wong Chuk Yeung Street, Fo Tan
Website: www.bluelotus-gallery.com
Email: sarah@bluelotus-gallery.com
Telephone: 6100 1295

Clay Players ‐ An Exhibition by Contemporary Ceramic Society Hong Kong

Published exclusively in this site on 4 August 2011.

Inferior Lights by So‐mui MA

Red Elation Gallery, a contemporary art gallery located in Wanchai, is currently displaying a group exhibition by Contemporary Ceramic Society Hong Kong.  Clay Players, as the exhibition is called, focuses on the fourteen Hong Kong ceramic artists who brought their works together, including my mentor, Chris Lo.

When I Disappear Into You by Chris LO

Contemporary Ceramic Society Hong Kong usually conducts activities, education programmes, and exhibitions to promote contemporary ceramics in Hong Kong, and this exhibition is one of them. Obviously I love Chris' piece, When I Disappear Into You, and the shock factor it creates with mutilated dolls placed in clamps, but I am also intrigued by So‐mui Ma's Inferior Lights, where the modeling of traditional Chinese architecture allows me to travel back to the past. Florence Yim's piece, The Story of the Stone, on the other hand, reflects fossils, and it is interesting to see her concept of time behind the obvious.
  

The Story of the Stone by Florence YIM

When you are around the Wanchai neighbourhood, go on and check out the exhibition. You will be pleasantly surprised!

Clay Players ‐ Exhibition by Contemporary Ceramic Society Hong Kong

Address: Red Elation Gallery, G/F, 5‐6 Lung On Street, Wanchai.
Date: Now until 23 August 2011
Time: 12 pm to 6 pm (Tuesday to Saturday)
E‐mail: info@redelation.com
Telephone: 2893 7837

You Are What You Use - Handmade Skincare Courses

First published in Elysiants on 18 December 2011.

Sometimes we just don't know what we are allergic to. Don't want to be putting on too much steroid cream? Tried Lucas' Papaw Cream and Medihoney's Derma Cream already? What about making your own skincare products? Chances are it might just be the preservatives or the foaming agents that is irritating your skin, so grab a couple of friends for some great time in a workshop, and go home with some au naturale products!

Cream and Lotion

Tammy Wing is teaching how to make a series of skincare products over the summer at Wood Cotton Workshop in Causeway Bay, including hand cream, body mist, eye gel, talcum powder, and lip balm. She uses natural materials, blended with aromatherapy oils and Chinese herbal medicines to produce mild products for you. Book here now for perfect skin!


Soap

Bored of art jam already? Try soap art jamming at Wala Art Studio in Chai Wan! It makes a unique gift, being both decorative as well as practical. Every lesson you can make three soaps in a small class from two to ten, so you and your friends can easily pull off a private class together. E-mail them for further details, and check out their Facebook to get some inspiration!

Mask

What is good enough to be eaten would certainly be good enough to be used on your face, so the Granny Co-op (name translated from Chinese) in Causeway Bay uses food products such as carrots (soothing), tomato (moisturising), soya milk (hydrating), strawberry (whitening), yoghurt, and flour to create an unique blend of mask, as well as letting you into what each food does best to your skin. You can try your mask on site to experiment just how well it works! Email them to reserve your place.

Lip Balm

Pineapple Chicken (name translated from Chinese), located in Jordan and Tsuen Wan, teaches how to make preservatives free chap stick. In just an hour's course, you will be leaving with two lip balms made of au naturale materials such as cacao butter, vegetable oil, and honey; and just a hint of aromatherapy like strawberry, vanilla, rose, or osmanthus. Their small class of three to eight students guarantees the full attention of the instructor, so have a look at their schedule now, and email them for some luscious lips!

Clear as Mud - Pottery Workshops in Hong Kong

First published in Elysiants on 17 December 2011.

Did my previous post ignite your artistic aspirations? Or is it the birthday of someone special coming up and you want to surprise them with a customised gift? Here are a few places in Hong Kong where you can learn how to pinch, coil, slab, throw, and more.


1. Cobo Ceramic Workshop

With a liberal schedule, this is the ideal workshop for jetsetters and pilots, who can't come on the same day every week. Chris and King teach every student on their own pace, so you don't have to worry about whether you have missed something they have just said.

2. The New Pottery Workshop

The new one, moving from the Fringe Club to Hollywood Road, isn't due to be opened until late summer, but as a regional pottery workshop, this post won't be complete without mentioning them. They offer classes focusing on certain techniques, run by their range of experienced staff.

3. J&A Workshop

If you are a fan of Ghost and is only keen on the throwing part of pottery, Jonathan runs short courses that teach it specifically. In just a few classes, you can make your own cup, decorate it, and have it ready to give away.

4. YA Collections

Yokky's classes are on Thursdays and Saturdays, teaching the basics of pottery making. Her classes look rather food-filled. Yummy!