Making It with Alex See

Making it with alex see episode #14 - Majorie

Does true artistic freedom come from waiting for inspiration, or from relentless discipline? In this episode of Making It, we sit down with Marjorie Hernandez, a Peruvian artist and educator who left her comfort zone in South America to dive into the vibrant art scenes of Shenzhen and Hong Kong. From transforming a spare apartment room into a chaotic, multi-medium studio to fusing the neon "Chicha" colors of Lima with traditional Chinese ceramics in Jingdezhen, Marjorie approaches her craft with unyielding passion. We dive deep into her philosophy on creativity—debunking the myth of the "inspired artist" and treating art as a muscle that requires daily training, rigid schedules, and routine. Marjorie opens up about her early insecurities, the aggressive push from her family to finally go abroad, and why having an idea means absolutely nothing if you don't bring it into "Planet Earth." We also discuss her unique Gelli plate printing techniques, the profound lessons she learns from teaching young students, and her bold vision to make Hong Kong’s art community more accessible, collaborative, and open for up-and-coming creators. If you are a creative struggling with self-doubt, waiting for the "perfect moment" to create, or navigating the challenges of finding your voice in a foreign culture, Marjorie’s energetic and highly disciplined perspective is exactly what you need to hear. 🎧 IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER: * The Discipline of Art: Why relying on inspiration is a trap and how to build a strict creative routine. * Cultural Fusion: Blending vibrant Peruvian "Chicha" colors with Asian cityscapes and traditional ceramics. * The Power of Support: How a tough-love push from her family changed her life trajectory. * Gelli Plate Printing: Exploring this unique, hands-on, and accessible printmaking technique. * From Idea to Reality: Why conceptual ideas are just theories until you execute them. * Hong Kong's Art Scene: The opportunities and challenges of creating an open, collaborative art community. Start listening to engineer your own creativity. CHAPTERS:0:00 - Intro: Why we are having this conversation01:13 - Who is Marjorie Hernandez? (Peruvian Artist in Asia)02:50 - Overcoming insecurity and the power of family support05:25 - Discipline vs. Inspiration: Creativity is a muscle08:06 - Setting goals, mini-journals, and bringing ideas to "Planet Earth"09:12 - The greatest lessons learned from teaching young artists13:35 - Urban Neon: Viewing Hong Kong through a Latin American lens17:38 - Mastering ceramics in Jingdezhen, China19:30 - The hands-on art of Gelli plate printing24:06 - Navigating the Hong Kong art scene as an expat31:30 - Final advice: Just get it done QUOTES FROM THE EPISODE: "The work of an artist requires a lot of discipline. Many people think it's based on inspiration... you just get the job done. Creativity is a muscle you need to train." - Marjorie Hernandez "If you do not bring those ideas into Planet Earth, that idea doesn't exist. It's a theory." - Marjorie Hernandez "Do the work. Get it done. Never mind when, but get it done." - Marjorie Hernandez ABOUT THE GUEST: Marjorie Hernandez is a Peruvian artist and educator currently based in Shenzhen, China. With a background in fine arts, she explores cultural identity, memory, and emotional states through a variety of mediums, including Gelli plate printing, ceramics, and textiles. By blending the vibrant, neon aesthetics of Peruvian "Chicha" culture with traditional Asian techniques, Marjorie creates a unique visual dialogue that bridges her South American roots with her life in Asia. ABOUT THE HOST: Alex See is on a mission to make Hong Kong a place where artists and creatives can thrive. Through Making It, Alex interviews the minds shaping the culture to uncover what it takes to succeed in the creative industries. CONNECT WITH US: Subscribe for more conversations on creativity and the Hong Kong art scene! 📸 Instagram: @makingitwithalexsee

「畫靚嘢」的極致誠實：從 Photoshop 悟出油畫秘訣 (ft. 風漸 Fung Jin) - Making It with Alex See

畫畫一定要探討生死、探討人性，才能稱得上是「好藝術」嗎？ 在本集《Making It》中，我們邀請到香港畫家風漸 (Fung Jin)，一位在創作上展現極致「誠實」的藝術家。他拒絕用艱深晦澀的哲學理論來過度包裝作品，理直氣壯地宣告：「我就是喜歡畫靚嘢！」 風漸與我們分享了他非常獨特的自學歷程——從零開始，他透過 Photoshop 軟體中的「色調分離 (Posterize)」濾鏡，逆向拆解了人類幾百年來的油畫色彩邏輯。他將畫面看作地圖與等高線，像砌拼圖一樣，一步步建構出自己極具標誌性、既平面又立體的獨特畫風。同時，我們也深入探討了他畫筆下的香港風景，從長沙灣的平台花園到下午放學時熟悉的「煮飯味」，看他如何用畫布重組並保留這座城市的集體記憶。 此外，風漸對香港藝術市場有著敏銳的觀察。他指出市場正經歷前所未有的「透明化」，曾經神秘的畫廊如今大方貼上紅點與標價，藝術品正逐漸走入尋常百姓家。最後，對於數位創作浪潮，風漸提出了強而有力的反思：為什麼在 iPad 上作畫只是讓電腦「猜測」你的指令，永遠無法取代在真實紙張上手繪的靈魂連結？ 如果你厭倦了藝術圈的過度包裝、對非傳統的自學方法感到好奇，或者懷念舊香港的城市溫度，風漸直白且純粹的藝術視角，絕對會讓你耳目一新。 🎧 IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER: CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Intro: 誰是風漸？與《易經》卦象的淵源 05:15 - 自學之路：從 Photoshop 濾鏡中悟出油畫秘訣 14:30 - 重組記憶：長沙灣平台花園與消失的香港味道 25:40 - 藝術的誠實：為什麼畫「靚嘢」不需要用深奧理論包裝 35:10 - 香港藝術市場觀察：從神秘的畫廊到透明的紅點標價 42:20 - iPad vs 真實手繪：科技帶來的方便與失真 50:15 - 大館 Touch Gallery 最新聯展資訊分享 QUOTES FROM THE EPISODE: "我鍾意畫靚嘢嘅，咁我話畀人聽我畫靚嘢... 我唔需要話我呢個代表生死呀、呢個代表脆弱咩，我唔需要呢啲嘢㗎。我反而覺得而家係少咗啲咁誠實嘅嘢。" - Fung Jin "你用 iPad 嚟畫畫，同你畫喺實物上面係兩樣嘢嚟㗎，絕對係兩個概念！... 佢呢樣工具就係我畀個指令佢，佢『估』我諗乜嘢。" - Fung Jin "以前買一幅畫係好難想像嘅事... 但係而家好似個個都買到畫。以前外地畫廊都見唔到紅點... 咁而家甚至乎喺個 Caption 度會寫埋價錢。" - Fung Jin ABOUT THE GUEST: 風漸 (Fung Jin) 是一位香港畫家，其筆名源自《易經》的「風山漸」卦。他以獨特的幾何解構手法與充滿通透感的畫風聞名。風漸從日常香港風景中汲取靈感，致力於將生活痕跡與城市記憶轉化為畫布上的永恆。他堅信藝術應該回歸誠實與純粹，拒絕過度概念化，並持續在實體創作中尋找最真實的連結。他的作品近期將於大館 Touch Gallery 展出。 ABOUT THE HOST: Alex See is on a mission to make Hong Kong a place where artists and creatives can thrive. Through Making It, Alex interviews the minds shaping the culture to uncover what it takes to succeed in the creative industries. CONNECT WITH US: Subscribe for more conversations on creativity and the Hong Kong art scene! 📸 Instagram: @makingitwithalexsee

Leaving a 30-Year Career for Art (ft. Bernard) - Making It with Alex See

Can an architect build a better world with a canvas instead of blueprints? In this episode of Making it, we talk with Bernard, an architect with a 30-year career who recently moved into being a full-time artist. From working on large projects like Hong Kong's Victoria Dockside to painting abstract pieces, Bernard uses both to create a sense of belonging. We explore his "Half Time" awakening during the pandemic. This reflection inspired him to leave his firm and focus entirely on his passion for art. Bernard shares his unique practice of mixing care for nature with creativity. He reuses building samples, turning stone into sand for his canvases. His faith also influences his work, using colors to show unseen forces: white for the Almighty, yellow for the Spirit, blue for hope, and red for love. He also discusses his show at the CUHK Museum of Climate Change, where he paints icebergs in gold to show their value to our world. Finally, we discuss Hong Kong's active art scene. Bernard shares his vision for a new autumn art festival to keep the city's creative energy going outside of the busy March season. If you are considering a career change, care about climate change, or are curious about abstract painting, Bernard’s view on keeping creativity pure is a must-listen. In this episode, we cover: - The "Half Time" Pivot: The pandemic was a wake-up call for Bernard to switch to full-time art. - Creating Belonging: Bernard sees buildings as functional sculpture. Public spaces like Victoria Dockside unite communities. - Colors of Faith, Hope, and Love: There is deep meaning in his color choices. He uses blue to represent hope that carries us through dark times. - Golden Icebergs: Glaciers are precious. Bernard uses gold paint to highlight them in his Museum of Climate Change show. - Reusing Materials: Bernard turns old stone samples into sand for his art to support nature and avoid waste. - A Vision for HK's Art Scene: Bernard suggests a new art fair in September or October to balance the March rush of Art Basel. - Humanity vs. AI: We must protect our inner creativity. Bernard warns the next generation not to let their minds be spoiled by artificial intelligence. Start listening to learn why art is a human necessity. Chapters: 0:00 Intro: From 30 Years in Architecture to Full-Time Art 02:38 Architecture as Functional Sculpture and Victoria Dockside 07:45 The "Half Time" Pandemic Pivot 14:26 Climate Change and Our Responsibility to the Environment 18:00 The Abstract Colors of Faith, Hope, and Love 22:15 Painting Precious "Golden" Icebergs for CUHK 32:41 Reusing Building Samples into Canvas Texture 35:09 Hong Kong's Art Scene and a Pitch for an Autumn Fair 46:52 A Warning on AI and Why Art is a Necessity Quotes from the episode: "I look at building, not necessarily just as a commodity... I think it's a piece of functional sculpture that embody a lot of concept." - Bernard "I believe art is not a luxury. It is a necessity for everybody." - Bernard "Keep creating in your mind and keep pure with your thoughts and do it with passion." - Bernard About the guest: Bernard is an architect with over 30 years of experience who moved into being a full-time artist. His work explores climate change, social duty, and faith. He currently has a series on icebergs at the Museum of Climate Change at CUHK. About the host: Alex See is on a mission to help artists and creative people thrive in Hong Kong. Through Making it, Alex interviews the minds shaping culture to show what it takes to succeed in creative fields. Connect with us: Subscribe for more on creativity and the Hong Kong art scene! Instagram: @makingitwithalexsee

Balancing a Corporate Job with Creative Passion (ft. Yvonne Chin) - Making It with Alex See

Why does someone who went to art school hesitate to call herself an artist? In this episode of Making It, we sit down with Yvonne Chin, a creative who balances a full-time career in insurance with a deep passion for art and community. We dive into her journey from studying photography in college to creating digital illustrations and custom pet portraits that give back to local Hong Kong charities. Yvonne opens up about the complexities of her Asian American identity, the struggle of making friends as an adult, and why her ultimate goal isn't fame, but genuine human connection. We also explore the Hong Kong art scene, discussing the need for more affordable art, adult open studio spaces, and why she believes art should be a mandatory subject in schools. If you’re a creative dealing with imposter syndrome, an introvert looking for community, or simply someone trying to be a little kinder to yourself, Yvonne’s story is exactly what you need to hear. 🎧 IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER: Start listening to find your community and create with intention. CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Intro: Why Yvonne said yes to the podcast02:22 - Who is Yvonne Chin? (Insurance, dogs, and identity) 05:02 - Earliest art memories and pivoting to photography in art school 10:30 - Navigating her Asian American identity 13:58 - Art as a love language and giving back to charity 18:27 - 10-year vision and learning to oil paint 24:50 - The creative process behind custom pet portraits 36:01 - Commercial art vs. passion in Hong Kong 39:54 - The need for affordable art and adult classes in HK 44:40 - Why art should be a mandatory subject 49:07 - Final message: Be kind to yourself QUOTES FROM THE EPISODE: "I made it a habit to introduce myself as a person versus my career. But I am an artist." - Yvonne Chin "All it takes is asking. Everyone wants to help, but not everyone has an avenue to do it." - Yvonne Chin "I think you should be kind to yourself. I think that's the way everyone should go through life." - Yvonne Chin ABOUT THE GUEST: Yvonne Chin is an artist and creative based in Hong Kong who bridges her art with philanthropy. Educated in photography at art school, she currently works in insurance but dedicates her creative energy to digital illustration, pet portraits, and product design, often donating the proceeds to local charities. ABOUT THE HOST: Alex See is on a mission to make Hong Kong a place where artists and creatives can thrive. Through Making It, Alex interviews the minds shaping the culture to uncover what it takes to succeed in the creative industries. CONNECT WITH US: Subscribe for more conversations on creativity and the Hong Kong art scene! 📸 Instagram: @makingitwithalexsee Copywriting:YouTube Description

「清高」不能當飯吃：從長洲隱世高人學到的轉筆絕技與生存哲學 (ft. Man Ling) - Making It with Alex See

在本集《Making It》中，我們邀請到了風格直率、不拘一格的視覺藝術家 Man Ling。Man Ling 的藝術之路充滿了傳奇色彩——從小時候單純熱愛畫畫，到誤打誤撞闖入紐約藝術圈，再到回歸香港長洲，向隱世高人「王伯」學習打破傳統的書法技藝。 Man Ling 對於「學院派」與「傳統」有著極具顛覆性的看法。他分享了為什麼畫畫對他來說不是為了追求美，而是一種「救命」的自我治療過程。我們深入探討了他如何將廢棄的書法練習紙重組，創造出如火燒般的重生美學。 更重要的是，Man Ling 對香港藝術家提出了極其務實（甚至有些刺耳）的建議。他直言藝術家必須放下「清高」，學會像生意人一樣思考，並在申請政府資助時收起怨氣，懂得迎合遊戲規則。這是一場關於藝術、生存與真實自我的深度對話。 如果你是一個在體制與創作自由之間掙扎的藝術家，或者想知道如何在幾天內掌握原本需要十年苦練的書法心法，Man Ling 的故事絕對不容錯過。 🎧 IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER: 開始收聽，學會如何在藝術與現實中生存。 CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Intro: 誰是 Man Ling?03:49 - 藝術作為自我治療：在這個時代被遺忘的功能16:26 - 誤闖紐約：從漫畫到抽象表現主義的震撼教育36:40 - 長洲奇遇：隱世高人「王伯」與打破常規的書法42:23 - 「忘我」的境界：當你腦中一片空白，畫作才是最真實的45:18 - 拼貼重生：賦予廢棄書法新生命的創作過程54:45 - 給香港藝術家的忠告：學會做生意，放下藝術家的身段59:26 - 關於政府資助：收起怨氣，懂得迎合才能生存01:07:08 - 尋找你的根：為什麼了解東方文化比模仿西方更重要 QUOTES FROM THE EPISODE: "最重要是那樣東西可以治療自己... 當你忘記自我，沒有了空白一片去畫畫，你畫到的東西是最真實的。" - Man Ling "我覺得香港的藝術家，他們要學一樣的事就是... 首先你也要讓自己，有種生意的人的心態... 因為你的作品和市場價值，其實是兩件事。" - Man Ling "你知不知道筆可以卷的？筆卷的話你做到的事，很多不可能做到的事，你都可以做到。" - Man Ling ABOUT THE GUEST: Man Ling 是一位香港視覺藝術家，以其獨特的拼貼藝術與融合東西方哲學的創作風格聞名。早年遊歷紐約學習西方抽象藝術，後回歸香港長洲，師從民間高人探索傳統書法的創新邊界。Man Ling 將藝術視為一種自我治療與修行的過程，作品常流露出一種經歷火煉後的重生感。 ABOUT THE HOST: Alex See 致力於將香港打造成藝術家和創意人能夠茁壯成長的地方。透過《Making It》，Alex 採訪塑造文化的思想領袖，揭示在創意產業中取得成功的關鍵。 CONNECT WITH US: 訂閱以獲取更多關於創意和香港藝術圈的對話！📸 Instagram: @makingitwithalexsee