Meet the Qrafties: Karen Cheung, Illustrator Continues Hong Kong Hand-carved Mahjong Craftsmanship
May 2020 | 3 Mins Read
Karen Cheung is a Hong Kong based self-taught illustrator specialised in travel and cultural theme sketches. She is an event specialist by day where she enjoys organising and coming up with creative event ideas. Karen Aruba is her illustrator name. The name was inspired by the year she spent in Aruba with her family when she was ten. Aruba is a Dutch Caribbean island known as ‘One Happy Island’, and Karen hopes to bring this same happiness, peace and energy to people through her art and creativity.
Inspired by her grandfather and father who ran a large mahjong manufacturing factory from 1963 to 2009, Karen designed a series of Mahjong artwork and design gifts with a passion to continue this traditional craftsmanship in the modern world. Her mahjong story illustration bridges the gap between traditional cultures and modern lifestyles.
When was the first time you experience Art and what made you fall in love with art?
I love to draw very much when I was a small kid. I drew everyday when I stayed in my father’s mahjong factory. When I was in secondary school, I asked my art teacher to teach me Art as an additional ‘self-study’ learning subject. However, I felt that I was not as creative as I wanted to be and might not be able to get decent grades in exams at that time so I decided to drop it after a year.
It took me a long while to pick up this passion again. I gained some valuable experiences in my career working with designers and I realised I enjoy bouncing creative ideas and discussing art related subjects with them very much. That was my turning point! I picked up my drawing pen again five years ago and start practicing. I am grateful for the amount of encouragement I have received from my friends and it motivates me to continue this passion till now.
How has your working experiences inspired you on your art and design journey?
I have been working in the event management field for years and had the opportunities to collaborate with different big corporations and non-profits. The experience I have gained allows me to better engage with people and present art in a meaningful way. Working as an event specialist requires me to think and create things from scratch. From idea brain storming, working with different parties during the creation process to delivering the project within a tight deadline. All the challenges I have overcame groomed me to be a better individual and strengthen my multitasking skills.
How did you come up with the ideas of your art and design series and what are the messages you would like to share with others through your art and design?
I have two main areas of focus for my art and design work. The first one is sketching as I love to draw skylines, architectures and anything I come across when I travel. I have completed six art journals during my travel in different countries. Art is a process of creation. We create happiness with heART. I wish to bring happiness and energy to people through my art and creativity.
The second focus of my art and design work is related to my family story which is the mahjong art and design. More people know about my work because of this. Having grew up in a unique mahjong manufacturing factory, I am very enthusiastic to share this interesting experience and memory with my friends and others through my illustrations.
We love the collaboration between you and your father. Would you please share with us more about it?
My father is an experienced mahjong craftsman who has been in the industry for over 40 years. He started learning hand-carved tiles from his parents when he was a teen. To me, he is not only a great craftsman but also a successful entrepreneur who ran one of the largest mahjong tile factories in Hong Kong during 1980s to 2000s. Unfortunately, the demand of hand-craved mahjong started decreasing in the early 2000s with the increasing supply of machine made mahjong. The business has to close down in 2009. It was very sad to see my family members leaving a job that they devoted most of their lives in. I cherish traditional craftsmanship and it is my mission as the third generation of the family to keep the spirit of mahjong craftsmanship alive through creative art.
I started collaborating with my father three years ago and we created a series of Mahjong gifts combining my father’s hand-craved mahjong titles with my illustrations. We also run workshops together to pass on the skills and knowledge. Travel Mahjong City is one of the projects we collaborated and it has received the Hong Kong Smart Design Award.
Do you play Mahjong yourself?
That is an interesting question! Honestly speaking, I do not play mahjong! My parents also don’t play mahjong despite they were craftsmen for so many years. They were very busy in the factory in the old days that they didn’t have much time to play mahjong.
Having said that, I have many precious memories on the Mahjong making processes. From the way my uncle polished the tiles with his bare hands, my father hand-carved the tiles individually to my grandmother and aunt painted the tiles before having them packed in boxes. I also remember how my grandfather used traditional calculator and his Chinese calligraphy skills to prepare invoices. I capture all these beautiful moments in my art.
After launching your new series the Art of Mahjong Craft, what are you creating next?
The Art of Mahjong Craft is an ongoing art and design series. I will continue to develop it to help people giving blessings on different occasions (eg. Home Sweet Home, Father’s Day, Summer time and Christmas) I will also be adding new illustrations design to the sparrow blessing card. [Fun fact: Sparrow pronounced the same as Mahjong in Cantonese.]
In the near future, I will be designing a complete set of mahjong tiles in European theme as well as creating art pieces with hand-carved tiles. It is definitely exciting to share mahjong with people in an artistic way.
Travel Mahjong City (HK Smart Design Award) - North Point, Sai Kung, Southside, Tung Chung
What is the first piece of artwork you sold in your life? How did it feel having someone appreciate your work for the first time?
The first art piece I sold was a sketch of harbour view along Kennedy Town. That was the sketching I did when I was about to move out the area. I went to the pier to capture the view before saying goodbye. I didn’t intend to sell it but my friend loved it so much! I was so touched and appreciated her encouragement to me.
Share with us your most memorable responses you had for your art or design.
We have customers outside of Hong Kong who appreciate the mahjong design I did together with my father. They treasured our family story and are keen to spread our work among their playing groups. I am surprise that there are many western mahjong players across the world. Here is a summary of the kind words I have received from an American lady who plays mahjong for many years and owns a hundred sets of mahjong tiles. Her words are very encouraging to us:
“Beautifully made... A true work of art. I purchased the Canton version of this mahjong set, the high quality craftsmanship is rarely found these days in hand carved mahjong sets. I had long wanted a hand-carved set that was being made today. Honored to own one of her father's works of art! And Karen’s stunning work was also on display earlier this year in an exhibition.”
“It is my mission as the third generation of our family to keep the spirit of mahjong craftsmanship alive through creative art.”
What’s your thoughts on the importance of traditional craftsmanship to a culture? How can people play a part in continuing traditional craftsmanship in Hong Kong?
It’s very important to preserve traditional craftsmanship as it is about the history and value of a city as well as the hard work and dedication of the craftsmen. We can inspire the younger generations on the value of traditional craftsmanship and encourage them to pass it on. I do wish everyone in Hong Kong would support different kinds of craftsmanship and appreciate the dedication behind it.
The Art of Mahjong Craft - Happy Birthday / Home Sweet Home, MR & MRS / Baby Wishes / Retirement, No 1 Mummy or Daddy
What our Qraftie shopper says:
“Love the design of the water bottle from Karen. Delivery was quick as well. Looking forward to the new design from Karen in near future”
WORDS FROM OUR FOUNDER
“Karen joined Qraftie as a seller at the pre-launch stage and she has been an engaging member of the Qraftie Community since then. I enjoyed learning about the passion story behind Karen’s art and design work. I am inspired by her enthusiasm on continuing traditional craftsmanship as well as her dedication on pursuing her passion in art. I find Karen to be a supportive and responsible person. Despite having a full time job, she works tirelessly during her spare time on her art and design initiatives. Karen’s attention to detail and her willingness to put in extra effort make her a talented individual.”
Thank you for being an appreciative reader as always. Meet the Qrafties is a series of Qraftie sellers’ stories, sharing with you the passion and hard work behind the creative works you see in their Qraftie stores. If you enjoy reading this blog post, please share it with your family and friends. Stay tuned on our next Meet the Qrafties story where you will learn more about the story of a French Artist in Hong Kong who fell in love with the beautiful local sceneries.
About the author
The Qraftie blog aims to provide you stories related to craftsmanship, culture and lifestyle around Hong Kong.
