Fresh Hand in Creative Handmade
Miffy, Io Fan Fan
“I can only treat this as my side job be-cause I can’t earn a living from it,” said Jaquelina Vong, a young handmade artist.
Vong sells her creative handmade accessories and decorative iPhone cases on a social network - Facebook. Studying design in university, she has had a strong interest in painting since childhood. Currently, she works in an entertainment production company.
“With the prosperity of the economy in recent years, people in Macau have become richer, and chosen to purchase luxury brands to express their sense of social status and lifestyles, but not creative handmade products with unique ideas and designs,” she said.
Handmade production is different from the mass production, which takes less time on manufacturing the products, and maximizes the product quantity and profits. “I cannot set the price high because people will not buy it. Not many people consider the price of handmade works should be higher than the branded one,” she sighed.
Vong’s profit on Facebook is little, and it can merely offset the cost of the materials. “I will listen to my customers before I start my production, so each product is tailor-made for them. Therefore, it takes time,” she said.
Vong also encountered difficulties in buying materials. The high production cost and the limited choices of materials restrict the diversity of her products. “It is hard to find materials for my handmade works in Macao, so I need to order them from the mainland China or Hong Kong. But I usually need to pay more as I only need a small amount of the materials,” said she, adding that some suppliers even decline her order as she could not meet the minimum quantity.
Vong considered running her online handmade workshop as a sideline job or an interest rather than business. It is a space for showcasing her talents, getting supports and admirations from others, and motivating her to insist on her interests.
“Facebook is a good platform for young people to pioneer their business, but it is only a stepping stone,” said Vong. Through her Facebook workshop, she has other opportunities to utilize her creativity, such as image designs and painting.
Vong also found opportunities and space from the government. She has been participating in the Tap Seac Art Fair since 2009. The fair, organized by Macao Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM), is held twice a year for the creative talents from Macao, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Taiwan to display their works and exchange their ideas. This activity lasts for two consecutive weeks from Friday to Sunday, and the approved applicants do not need to pay any rent for their booths. This year is Vong’s third year of joining this activity.
“It is a great platform for the creative talents to showcase their works and products, to learn from others and to improve. This activity has gained more and more attention, and become more popular among the public,” said Vong.
“Although the government has paid effort to support and help the development of the local creative industry, I think it’ll be better if there is a permanent platform for us,” said Vong. “For example, the local authority can take the Red House in Taiwan as a reference. It is a permanent and well-organized platform for the Taiwan artists, and attracts many locals and tourists.”
In Vong’s opinion, beyond the government support, the involvement of the big enterprises can provide spaces for the handmade artists, too.
“Imagine you can find a local handmade brand counter in a big shopping center, just like a Hello Kitty counter in New Yohan,” said the young artist. “It is apparently a great help in promoting the local artists to the public, and through the commercial exposure it increases the consumers’ confidence toward the handmade products.”