Modelling His Own Path

Johnson Tsang

“Splash of Wonder”

After several years, he got used to some people’s misunderstanding and learned to laugh it off. “One important reason I didn’t give up in front of those situations is that I really love pottery. It’s the best method to repair my mood. When I am frustrated, I sit down and turn on some light music, as soon as I touch the clay, my heart calms down. Everything else is not important at all."

This love for art dates back to when he first picked up a pencil at the age of four. At school, he drew almost everything in front of his eyes. It was hard for him to understand words in books and thus he had poor grades. Gradually he became interested in three-dimensional shape.

"Unfortunately, it was hard to develop my favorite subject with bad academic grades. After high school graduation I was unable to pursue further study." He worked in a variety of factories, and in car delivery, before becoming a policeman.

“As a policeman, I thought I would spend my life this way. But my passion for arts was still burning.” He often did sketches for his colleagues, over 300 pictures in total during that period.

In the winter of 1991, as a Hong Kong police sergeant, he came across an arts center offering exhibitions and classes after work. “I seemingly found a world that belonged to me and immediately registered for a short ceramic course”.

"I remember when I first touched the wet clay, it felt like touching human skin. It has a very familiar feeling. I knew the effect created by every move. It seems I already knew how to get along with the clay”.

In the first lesson, he made a cup in the shape of a human face and felt the magic of clay. “It realizes the three-dimensional shape of my imagination, and I was deeply fascinated by it."

After the course with more than ten lessons, he bought an electric furnace and casting machine, set up his own studio on the 30 square feet balcony of his home, and started learning ceramics by himself.

By 1993, Tsang loved the clay so much that he resigned after thirteen years of police work.