Let’s Craft: Cool Local Instagram Artists to Inspire you

Hobbies aren’t merely pastimes; they can help boost creativity, confidence and even productivity. If you’re thinking of taking up a new craft but don’t know which one to try, follow these local Instagram artists for inspiration – you may just discover a passion you didn’t know you had.

Discover Wood Upcycling with @the_wastedhk

Do you know you can give fallen trees a second life by turning them into furniture? This is what Dickson Yan has been doing since 2018, when Hong Kong got hit by Typhoon Mangkhut and the city was paralysed by over 55,000 fallen trees. Then an assistant professor in environmental engineering, Yan was struck by the news and decided to find ways to repurpose the wrecked wood. After a year of research and experiments, he finally created his first handcrafted epoxy-wooden table, and later started The Wasted to share his passion for wood upcycling. On his Instagram feed you can see not only photos of his artistic creations, but also step-by-step processes of how he turns trees into tables. Intrigued? Sign up for one of his workshops so you can learn this uncommon craft too!

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Explore Textile Upcycling with @refashioned

The next time you clean up your wardrobe, consider upcycling old clothes that can’t be donated and make something useful out of the fabrics. This idea came to Vincci Ching, owner of Heritage ReFashioned, when she walked into a vintage kimono store in Tokyo some years ago. Awed by the gorgeous fabrics, she ended up buying two bags of fabric scraps which she later used to create the first of her signature Kimono Clutches. Her works have since garnered a celebrity following, with Hollywood stars like Jeri Ryan and Matilda Szydagis showing up at events with her bags. Today, she continues to fill her Instagram page with images of stunning statement pieces, all made out of pre-loved Japanese kimono and Chinese kwan kwa textiles and garments from the 80s and 90s.

Try Calligraphy with @kaye.h.shu

There’s a reason why calligraphy lives on in this digital age – as a practice it’s uplifting and restorative; and the aesthetics and personality conveyed through handwriting isn’t something that computer fonts can replace. Follow calligrapher and teacher Kaye Shu, who gave up the corporate world for her passion and a more mindful lifestyle back in 2016. Interestingly, it was a “lazy” choice in college that prompted her to embark on the journey of penmanship – the course required no exams nor papers to write; but she soon discovered the joy that comes with the pen, brush, nib and paper. Her works, which span motivational quotes and colourful paintings inspired by nature and everyday items, are comforting, funny and sometimes cheeky. So, be ready to smile a lot – because you will.

Appreciate Ceramic Art with @amandatongceramics

In today’s fast-paced world, pottery allows us to slow down and focus on the present moment. If you’re also interested in this mindful art form, visit Amanda Tong’s Instagram handle to see her mesmerising collection of marbled pottery. Born in Hong Kong, trained in London and now based in Japan, Tong developed her own ink painting-like style using the Nerikomi technique, which involves mixing multiple colours of porcelain. Inspired by the traditional Chinese philosophy of yin and yang, she uses only black and white for her handcrafted tableware in The Perfect Imbalance collection, to represent two opposing yet coexisting energies. Take your time to appreciate how the two colours balance each other in each unique piece; it is exactly this balance that makes her works so pleasing to the eye, and also to the soul.

Are you more into cooking than crafting? Then hone your skills with lessons from these Instagram chefs.