We’ve showcased a few local Hong Kong jewellery designers so this time, I’m branching out to include Half A Cup Of Tea. This talented artist painstakingly cuts, scores and folds paper into miniature sculptures that take your breath away. She started her Etsy store at the end of last year and is very prolific. She shares an anecdote behind the reasoning of her shop’s name, “ During a cold winter evening many years ago, I was waiting for a friend in an MTR station and craving a hot drink.
I thought to myself, I’d love to open a shop called Half A Cup Of Tea that offers drinks at half size as there are no public toilets in the MTR station. I loved the name so much that when I opened my online shop, I choose it for the name.

“I have a little story to amuse myself as to why an online store can have this name. Every customer who comes in is offered a cup of tea. They sip half of it, then start to look at my sculptures. They are so amazed by my work that they quickly buy my stuff and leave happily, forgetting about the other half cup of tea. So, if I become successful in future, and need to open a second shop, I may call it "A quarter cup of tea!”


Fun Facts

Best-selling piece:
I'd say, it's the Dance of Pont D'Avignon Pop-up Bookmarks. Each of them is one of a kind but the design is basically the same. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6576495§ion_id=5995970

Most-used material
Naturally all kinds of paper: iridescent paper, textured paper, plain A4 paper, recycled paper, tissue paper, etc.

Piece that you can't bear to part with
I guess it's the Mountain Village illuminated paper sculpture. I've spent so much time and effort on it, and in the cutting and folding processes, I attempted to give up a few times, thinking it was impossible to make. But I finally made it, and the result was very satisfying. Oh yes, I do wish to part with it and share it with someone who really loves it! :-)
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18805867

Favourite designer
My favourite paper artists are Su Blackwell and Peter Callesen. Their creations are magical!
http://www.petercallesen.com/
http://www.sublackwell.co.uk/