Reflections on a Year as an Artist

I am writing this on Wednesday 31st December, the last day of 2025, and yes I am feeling quite reflective while trying not to write clichés like this year has flown by, yet in all honesty it really has! I’m also finding it difficult to separate my year as an artist and self-employed businessman with my personal life, since there is no longer any separation between the two.

I answer customer calls and messages at any hour, I personally deliver artwork to people no matter what day it is (or the number of stairs involved). When you are working for oneself, there is no such thing as a public holiday or ‘closing hours’. The last spin around the sun has been a constant hamster wheel of creation, promotion, and collaboration and an attempt to move things forward on every metric that I can conceive of.

Yet I am going to try as best I can to look back at this year through an ‘Art’ lens, since that is my primary role, and also the reason why you, dear reader might be here.

As with most years, there have been some ups and downs, some wins and losses and as the ‘Dude’ from the cult movie 'The Big Lebowski' would say there have been some ‘Strikes and Gutters’.

Yet, I am finishing the year after achieving some significant milestones, meeting some wonderful people and paying what needs to be paid. All achieved by my own two hands (literally) and a paint brush or three. So without further ado, here is the year that was.

January

Starting the year with an Exhibtion at the Hong Kong Cultural Center

For the first eleven days of this year, I was visiting my in-laws in Vancouver, Canada. It was a very cosy, holiday but also quite cold and dark. Simular to a Bristish Christmas but perhaps not so boozy! Here in this northern latitude with the help of my reference photo, I was able to complete my first original watercolour painting of the year with an artwork I titled The Game. To start the year on a postive footing,and to attempt some positive PR, I agreed to a paid editorial with the online platform "Being Neighbourly" which you can read again here

As soon as I arrived back in Hong Kong, I attended my first group show of the year with a new artist collective named 'Rouge Art Gallery' at the Hong Kong Cultral centre. I was one of four artists who teamed up togther to present a group art show from the 10th -13th. You can read my blog post all about this event here.

I returned to the Handmade Hong Kong Sunday market in my home village of Discovery Bay for my first in person pop up craft market of the year. It's always a challenge to dust off the holiday cobwebs and get back into hosting a market stall, but this one day event was a good practice run for what came later the same month. That being a gruelling eight day stint at the Hopewell Center's new shopping mall extention for a pre Chinese New Year Market.

This event was one of the best and worst markets I have ever attended. The best in terms of the sheer size of the booth I was given, a stunning 10 meters of display space with custom built signage, lighting and spacious storage and area for me to move around inside. It was so big that it took me 3 days of trips back and forth just to fill the whole display area, and I was able to display some of my largest framed artworks, which usually for an 'away game' I can not. Another good point was that I had room inside the booth to set up a studio and to work on painting a new original artwork (Twinling Star).

Unfortunately, the downside of this event was the fact that the venue was so new that nobody seemed to know about it! The signage at the venue was limited and there seemed to be no online marketing or promotion by the event organiser at all. Hence I had a very peaceful (lonely) time. Sales wise, it was dire. That was until I managed to sell two original artworks by request to two separate customers who came to visit me after responding to my own social media posts. This came as a stunning surprise to me and lifted this event out of the 'loss' box and planted it firmly into the 'win' column!.

February

I returned to the Handmade Hong Kong Sunday Market in Discovery Bay on February 9th, and this time it featured a Valentine's theme. The event went smoothly, as I was now fully ‘in the zone’ and prepared for pop-up market planning and setup, operating like a well-oiled machine!

Additionally, this month I collected two of my original artworks from the Sun Museum after participating in an exhibition before Christmas, and which had finally come to a close. This was also the month when I completed my 'Blue Ding Ding' artwork, which you can see here.

March

By March, I truly felt things were stepping up a gear.

On the 6th, I attended my first 'Artists Meet-up,' an initiative organised by Hong Kong artists Linsey McAlister and Nance Lokos. They established a WhatsApp group called 'Collaborative Creatives' HK, aimed at connecting and empowering the local visual arts community. It was during this gathering that I first met my future group art show team members, Eric Luke and Andreas von Buddenbrock. More on that later.

Additionally, this month marked a significant milestone in my career: my first solo art exhibition, hosted by KC100 Art Space. This was something that I had been hoping for for years and working on for months and I felt so pleased that it was finally happening. You can read all about my experiences with this exhibition here.

This month, I attended another 'away game' in the form of a pop-up market hosted at West Island School. Unfortunately, this event ended up in my 'loss' column, as I barely made enough to cover my taxi fare. Oh well, you live and learn.

Additionally, the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens tournament took place this month at it's new home at Kai Tak Sports Park which I very much enjoyed attending. While watching the Saturday games, I managed to create a location sketch of the event. This was a self-imposed moment of discipline, as I knew it would help me avoid drinking too much beer for a few hours. As it turned out, this decision yielded positive results, as I received great feedback on my finished sketch from those around me in the stadium. You can see it here.

April

While my solo exhibition was running, I frequently returned to meet groups and individuals, guiding them on tours of the exhibit. It felt truly amazing to see over sixty of my original artworks on display in such a beautiful modern display space.

During this month, I also participated in five pop-up market days, including a Sunday Market in Discovery Bay and two weekend events at K11 Art Mall in Tsim Sha Tsui. I enjoy working at indoor events because they offer protection from the elements, and allow me to paint during slow periods. I also enjoy listening to comments from passers-by while I paint like; "Wow... he's really doing it!" and "Oh these are not photographs!". It was during this time that I created my original artwork, Sunlit Sampan, which you can see here.

May

The major event that took place during this month was the Hong Kong Affordable Art Fair that is held annually at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibtion center. You can read all about my experiences at this event here.

I was also fortunate enough to be visited by family from Canada, my Sister in Law and two of my neices. One of whom also brought her one year old son with her. It was such a pleasure to be able to take them to my solo exhibition and personally show them around.

I was also able to complete an original Artwork 'Sunbeam through a Bamboo forest' which is still to this day, my own personal favourite of my own artworks. This sold immediately at the Art Fair which was a bittersweet moment. I think techically it is perhaps my best painting and also personally it felt very reassuring to have sold something which is not so obviously commerical.

From an artistic point of view, this was also reassuring and rewarding since this particular piece came about through a newly developed method of subject selection. Whilst riding a tram through Wan Chai one sunny afternoon, I saw the scene depicted in the painting above and had an overwhelming emotional response to it. Capturing the moment with my phone camera and just instinctively knowing that I just had to paint it!

I decided to further explore this emotional source of internal inspiration with what has become my most surreal and imaginative painting to date. Titled "Hong Kong Butterfly" this peice evolved through a process of deconstructing the Hong Kong visual landscape and my own past works and reconstructing them into something truly unique and original.

June

June was an interesting month, despite the intense heat and humidity that limited my outdoor painting sessions. I was delighted to have more family members visit from Vancouver again, including my niece, nephew, and another grandnephew.

This month, I experienced the unique feeling of having artwork on display at three exhibitions one after another.

From June 4th to 9th, I had two pieces on display at the Hong Kong Visual Art Center as part of the exhibition titled ‘The Power of Empowerment’, hosted by Kambal Gallery. A portion of the proceeds from sales was donated to the International Justice Mission.

My solo exhibition concluded on the 20th, and to celebrate its success, I hosted a well-attended closing party, securing sponsorship from two local beer companies to help ease the bittersweet moment.

The third event titled ‘Watercolour Joy’ was a group exhibition for watercolour artists organised by the local art supplies company ‘Joy in Art’ at the Hong Kong Art Centre from the 26th to the 30th. For this event, I specifically created an original artwork titled "Junk Jumping".

Which is probably unique in my collection since it was painted through memory and imagination and not from a photographic source. I wanted this piece to reflect a mind's eye image of a perfect day out on the waters of Hong Kong, hence the warm nostalgic colours and composition.

This was my first time attending the event in person, having participated twice before while juggling other commitments. It felt wonderful to meet fellow watercolour artists and to receive my goodie bag and certificate in person.

July

One of the most notable experiences I had this month was delivering a framed art print to a Korean restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui, which was dealing with a kitchen fire when I arrived. Upon entering, I was met with frantic staff and firemen running around—a bizarre, surreal, and slightly scary scene. Fortunately, the firefighters had everything under control, and I left having successfully completed my delivery mission. That's another aspect of this business that I'll have to share more insights about someday. I’ve certainly encountered some interesting places on my delivery runs!

On another occasion, while delivering a framed art print to a customer in Repulse Bay, I was fortunate to be invited into their home. They lived on a high floor of an apartment building that boasted spectacular views of the bay. As soon as I saw the view, I asked for permission to take a photo, which later became my reference for the largest watercolour artwork I have painted to date, 'A View of Repulse Bay'.

Due to the hot and stormy weather, my outdoor sketching opportunities were limited, prompting me to focus more on working from home using my photo references. During this month, I managed to complete Lyndhust love and a Rainy evening on Pottinger Street Steps.

August

This was a quiet month in terms of events, but quite busy for me in terms of artwork creation. Thanks to the hot, stormy weather, I had ample time to continue my work from home and successfully completed several pieces, including 'Lockhart Road Life' and 'Star Ferry Pier Sunset'

I also continued experimenting with filming my painting sessions, aiming to join the trend of sharing the painting process on social media. I set up a rickety structure to hold my phone and did my best to record the entire process. You can see an example here

In addition to my artistic endeavours, I enjoyed another lovely trend: a visit from my nephew from Vancouver, along with his wife and two daughters. This time, I was prepared with my new China entry card, allowing us to have a mini-vacation in Shenzhen together.

September

Following the summer break due to the hot temperatures and unpredictable weather, I returned to the Handmade Hong Kong Sunday Market in Discovery Bay on the 14th, which as it turned out was probably a mistake. This was the most challenging and exhausting market day I have ever experienced due to the intermittent rain forcing me to pack down and open back up again five times! I was totally shattered at the end of the day and when I finally got back home I had to lay on the floor for an hour to rest my back from all the mircomovements of bending throughout the day.

This month, I was approached by a company named Studio Generale, which was organising a Zou Zit charity dinner and seeking sponsors. The event aimed to support their charity partner, More Good—a Hong Kong-based organisation founded by members of the restaurant industry to provide high-quality meals to those in need, with an emphasis on nutrition and community. In support of this cause, I donated 30 art prints featuring my ballpoint pen artworks of Hong Kong people and workers. The event was a success, as I received a handwritten thank-you card from the team leader.

Additionally, I was commissioned by the owners of the iconic Metropol, a large-scale Cantonese restaurant in the heart of Admiralty, Hong Kong, to create a montage artwork commemorating the restaurant’s closing after 35 years of operation.

I was fortunate to receive a tour of the venue, including the bustling kitchens, where I was allowed to sketch and capture whatever inspired me. This included the famous roving dim sum trolleys and the central "pan-frying island," where the "dim sum aunties" skillfully prepared a variety of local delicacies, such as turnip cake and rice noodle rolls.

Undertaking this task brought mixed feelings. On one hand, it’s sad to see another beloved local eatery close its doors; on the other hand, I felt honoured to help the owners achieve a “gong wing git yip” (glorious ending) and to capture the essence of a place that has hosted countless memorable moments—wedding banquets, company parties, and everyday gatherings of friends sharing joyful experiences.You can see this artwork here

October

Continuing the theme of family visiting, this month my daughter and grandson came to town. As a result, all artwork production and business operations came to a halt, giving me 10 glorious days of grandpa time.

However, family time eventually came to an end, and I returned to work, attending two pop-up events: the familiar DB Sunday Market and a new event, the Michaelmas Fair at St. John's Cathedral. After the fair, I donated 50% of my takings to the church to aid the good work that they do throughout the city. Overall it was a fun event that introduced me to a new audience and was for a good cause.

November

Once again, I had the wonderful experience of being visited by family; this time, my mother stayed with me for two weeks. I felt bad for being somewhat distracted during her visit as I was busy handling customer orders. So much so that I ended up taking my mum along on my deliveries. The silver lining was that we had the opportunity to travel and explore different parts of Hong Kong together! Including one of my guilty pleasures of travelling on a tram from one ed of Hong Kong Island to the other.

Just before my Mum arrived, I attended a fair at Kennedy School. However, since the event lasted only two hours, I realised I shouldn't have bothered attending, as it felt like it was time to pack up just as the event began! Despite the chaotic schedule, I was able to create an original artwork titled Crimson Sails this month, which I hope to present in future exhibitions. This artwork has it's own back story which I will share at some point in the future. It is one of those 'lessons learned' type of situations.

December

Finally, the craziest month of the year arrived, and it unfolded in a flurry of activities. Between my singing commitments with my a cappella group, ‘The Decibels', and the ‘Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir’ I was busy trying to fit in as many Christmas pop-up market events as I could find.

This whirlwind concluded with my appearance at the Handmade Hong Kong Sunday Market in Discovery Bay on the 14th, a delightfully chaotic situation where I was both hosting a pop-up stall and performing Christmas carols with The Decibels three times throughout the market day.

In addition, I had two exhibition events to organise and prepare for. The first was hosted by Rouge Art, titled SEVENER, and took place at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre from the 23rd to the 25th.

Here I joined a team of artists again including my friends, Eric Chih, Eric Luke, Andreas von Buddenbrock, Chongling Dong, Casalina Hung and a new connection Anastasia Akimenko. This served as a nice bookend to the year, as it was the same group with which I had my first exhibition back in January.

Finally, my last event was organised by Art Future Club, in partnership with the AIA Carnival at the Central Harbour-front. They successfully assembled a group exhibition featuring many local Hong Kong artists, which will continue into the new year. I currently have three special artworks printed onto acrylic panels on display until January 18th, so feel free to check it out if you visit the Carnival.

My final original artwork of the year, finished just before Christmas is titled "Orange City Bus"

It is an artwork that continues my fascination with an iconic and often overlooked Hong Kong mode of public transportation and celebrates it in a painting that is both technically challenging and lovingly detailed.

Final Reflections on a Year as an Artist

This year has been a journey of growth, challenge, and achievement, with more ups than downs. The lines between artist and business owner have blurred, but that blending has brought new insights and opportunities. It has helped me feel more comfortable in my own skin and with my identity as an artist.

I can't say it has been easy, and I'm sure there are simpler ways to make a living. However, when the positives do come, they can be overwhelmingly rewarding—like receiving pictures from clients with my artwork displayed in their homes or connecting with new customers who have been referred to me.

I have recently bid farewell to some collaborating partners who have chosen to close their operations after a challenging year. Additionally, I’ve observed other partners significantly reduce their store space and relocate to smaller premises. However, I've also embraced new collaborations with partners in fresh locations, reflecting the dynamic nature of the local retail environment.

As I embark on this new year—marking my 30th year in Hong Kong—I am eager to explore the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. I look forward to connecting with new customers and forging exciting collaborations, while seeking out new locations to paint and draw inspiration from. My guiding principle remains unchanged since the beginning of my artistic journey: “If I create art that inspires me to the best of my ability, good things will eventually follow.”

I will add more reflections on my year as an artist in the coming days, so please check back for updates (including improved spelling!). For now, I wish you all a very happy new year, and here’s to another year of creation, connection and exploration.

Best wishes,

Richard