beach clean up
2017
"
Michelle is a who encourages, challenges, and guides her students to realize their . She captures their imagination with , and inspires them to observe and
around them.
creative potential
thought-provoking projects
model educator
reflect deeply on the world
"
MTR field trip, 2019
"I always enjoyed art, but thought of it more as a casual school subject, never something I took too seriously. Ms. Michelle completely changed that for me.
Some time last year, 2020, my mom asked me if I wanted to learn art with Ms. Michelle. At first I was skeptical, having always feared a new teacher to be strict and humorless. My trepidation was refuted the moment I stepped through the classroom door when a friendly smile greeted me. I felt at home right away, all my fears gone. Getting me into a conversation right away, Ms. Michelle then assessed my art ability. She then asked me what I was passionate about, for me, that was movies, and brainstormed ideas of a project that was related to that topic yet suitable for my level. We decided to draw a film poster which would improve my use of colour pencils and introduce colour theory to me. Along with all the learning, we are constantly engaged in conversations, exploring things wherever the conversation takes us, from types of brush to how paints are made to different pencil pricings. These conversations quickly got me interested in art and made me look forward to each and every lesson.
Ms. Michelle is also a very knowledgeable person, knowing almost everything from films to books alongside her impeccable expertise on art, it is hard to find anything she can’t talk about. After finishing my poster, she gave me the opportunity to showcase my next project in an art exhibition she was organizing. That gave me experience on what artists had to do and how hard it is as I was kept on a tight schedule and had to have extra lessons in order to finish my piece in time for the exhibition.
Along with the art lessons, Ms. Michelle also arranges woodcut print workshops which I too found extremely fun and learnt a lot about another form of art. In fact, I loved it so much I joined the workshop a second time. Ms. Michelle always had a way in making me learn yet enjoy art and making her lessons memorable. For that, I will forever be grateful of her and of the lessons she taught me.
Thank you Ms. Michelle. I hope that I will be able to study art with her in the future when I come back to Hong Kong. I highly recommend anyone to study art with her, whether you have been learning it for years or have never learnt it at all, you will learn a lot from her and have a great time."
Him Him, age 14
"I have been attending Ms. Michelle’s classes with my friends since I was four or five, and now I’m thirteen. I am extremely thankful for everything that Ms. Michelle taught me, it is no ordinary art class, but an adventure into my creativity. She helped me build my aesthetic conception for all these years. We were not made to remember boring rules; instead, we were shown so many different techniques. We got to choose what we could do and make. Sometimes we would paint with Chinese ink, we would laugh as the ink soaks through our paper and onto the table. We would cut up newspaper on the floor and stuff it into a paper fish bigger than our 5 year-old bodies. From not being able to even mix colors properly to now being able to match any color we see. We were taught how to sketch animals, how to draw clouds. These eight years have been a great journey. We’ve explored a wide range of media, such as acrylics, markers, color pencils, oil paint, oil pastels and even printmaking.
During the worst times of the pandemic, we went online for class, we were taught art history, we even did little tests at the start of every lesson, and we learnt equally as much. We were even taught how to research and make presentations. There was no set course, she would tailor out projects for us after she observes our skills, every lesson was carefully thought out and we always learn something new after. These art classes are different from the usual, we got to go to the outer-islands of Hong Kong and sketch the scenery. We had to read books, discuss them and create pieces about them. We even picked up trash from a beach and picked a few to draw. We got to find beauty in our lives. She even gave us a chance to draw our own picture books.
I thank her every time I draw. Art has become an irreplaceable habit that helps me relax and calm down. I thank her for helping me find what I love, a passion that will stick with me for the rest of my life. We’ve also done a few exhibitions, actually very recently all the students contributed pieces to an exhibition in PMQ. Ms. Michelle wouldn’t give us a template for our art, she gave us a theme, then would always encourage us to think for our own. She brings out the best out of every student, helped us find what we can do.
In the eight years I can remember, Ms. Michelle always smiles at us, always helps us out even when we mess up badly, and is always so patient with us. I don’t know how else to put my immense gratitude into words, thank you so much, Ms. Michelle."
Amy, aged 13.
student exhibition, PMQ, Hong Kong, 2021
Opening Studio, 2012
Picture books summer workshop, 2020
"My daughter has been learning painting with Michelle for about 8 years. I as well as my daughter feel very lucky to find such a good teacher. I wish I had had the same art teacher and classes when I were her age!
Firstly, Michelle is an active young artist. She is always working hard on her own projects and engaging in various local and international art events. I think it is a great privilege for her students to be able to closely observe how an artist works.
Secondly, Michelle takes art education seriously, and she has many original ideas about teaching art to kids. I particularly appreciate how Michelle tries hard to cultivate the children’s understanding and interest in art, and how she smartly introduces different genres of art to the kids.
For example, last summer holiday, she conducted a 4-week workshop of illustrated storybook for the kids, 7 to 12 years old. During the four weeks, she took the kids to a field trip, introduced the history about the community, had the kids do dome sketches, encouraged them to create their own stories, guided them to design the figures and choose an appropriate style, and accompanied them to revise the drafts again and again … Finally, every kid was able to create a wonderful illustrated book with their own unique story and distinctive personal characteristics. When we got the books which were printed and bound like those sold in a bookstore, we were all overjoyed. The success of the workshop wouldn’t be impossible without her careful preparation: to prepare for it, she had read about 20 books on how to teach kids to make illustrated story books.
Finally, and most importantly, Michelle really cares for the kids, not only the development of their painting skills, but also their well-beings. Over the years, Michelle has become a trustworthy friend to the kids and parents. My daughter regards her not only as one of her favorite teachers of all time, but also as a big sister and intimate friend; I and some other parents would frequently share our concerns about our kids with Michelle, who is always lending an ear to us patiently and would share her insightful observations and suggestions with us.
Therefore, if you are looking for an art teacher who is keen and competent to ignite an interest in art in your kids, I highly recommend Michelle to you because of her solid professional background, passion for art education, and sincere care for the kids."
Iris Wang, 2021.
Beach clean-up. 2017.
"Michelle is an exceptionally talented artist-intellectual who has devoted her career to challenging artistic limits and inspiring care for the environment through her art. It’s not just her creativity, talent, and ambition that I admire, but also the passion she has for her students.
She is a model educator who encourages, challenges, and guides her students to realize their creative potential. She captures their imagination with thought-provoking projects, and inspires them to observe and reflect deeply on the world around them.
Michelle possesses a serious focus and playful atmosphere in her studio as she instructs on art and life. For example, Michelle has cultivated stronger awareness in my family about the dire state of plastic pollution through her exhibits, book, and studio projects, which has impacted us to change our everyday choices.
Our son Xavier is now in his fourth year studying under Michelle and we are delighted at how she has helped develop him as a young artist and as a global citizen.
Thank you so much Michelle!"
Stacey Lowre, 2021.
"I am pleased to write a testimonial for Michelle, also I would strongly like to recommend friends to Michelle!
My son, Joshua has been learning art from Michelle for eight years since kindergarten up to present. Joshua loves and enjoys Michelle’s art class very much as always.
Besides having art lessons at the studio, Michelle would also arrange for field trips, workshops, visiting art exhibitions, not only kids participating, but also welcoming parents; not only kids learning, but also parents raising awareness of art. It helped us to appreciate and gratify our lives, our world. Michelle is an exceptional teacher!!!
Joshua says, having Michelle’s art class is part of his life now.
I have been keeping almost all Joshua’s artworks since his first class. Each of his works is an art piece to me. Since Michelle paid great attention to environmental protection, what she used the materials for the art lessons were environmentally friendly, which our thoughts matched so well. I loved it!
Michelle’s incredibly passionate about what she does, her dedication, her hardworking, lots of new elements and breaking through in her works over the years, which I really really admire! I think Michelle has set a good example for kids. We cherish these good characters indeed!
Michelle is an awesome artist, a caring educator, a supportive mentor, a motivative teacher, a warm-hearted friend willing to share her thoughts unconditionally.
Whenever I think about Michelle, besides her Polluta, her joyful smiles and laughter pop up right away from my mind, that’s Michelle’s signature in me, Hahaha!
Should you still consider where to have art class for your kids, Michelle is absolutely the right choice!
Hope to meet you soon!"
Roseline Chan, 2021.
Peng Chau island field trip, 2019
Joshua's finger painting
inspired by George Seurat, 2013
“Michelle is a great teacher and mentor. She is an extraordinary artist that helps her students to thrive and grow. My son Brandon has benefited tremendously from working with her throughout the eight years. Her critical feedback and engagement through art have helped my son to see things from different perspectives.
To this date, my son is grateful to have her as her mentor.”
Jurin, 2021.
Brandon. Aged 16.
Oil pastel on paper. 2020.
Student Exhibition "What I Don't Want to Forget in Ten Years"
PMQ, Hong Kong. 2021
『孩子爸爸說，你的認真負責讓他非常感動，這樣的畫展，即使我們想要孩子的作品以這樣的方式去呈現，外面的專業公司也可以花錢去做，但是完全不同！
你和你的助手們付出的心思和精力真不是金錢可以衡量的，就這樣一步一步帶領他們，不只是藝術創作和體驗，更是用你做事情的態度，方式和精神去影響他們，這個是教育的核心與精髓！
我們非常感恩🙏🌷』
(Translation: my husband mentioned how very touched he was by your focus and sense of responsibility. Even if we want our children's works to be presented in this way and hire external professional companies, it would be completely different!
The thought and energy that you and your assistants put in are truly not measurable by money. You led them step by step through not only artistic creation and the experience of having an exhibition, but you also influenced them as a role model!
You influence them with your attitude, methodology and spirit! This is the core and essence of education! We are very grateful🙏🌷)
Ariel Yang, 2021
『感謝Michelle於有種藝術社區藝術計劃中悉心引導學生於木板上以水墨及混合媒介進行繪畫創作，創作一系列的虛擬人造動物形象。同學透過創作，對受影響的瀕臨絕種動物加深認識，以及了解人類活動如何污染、影響及危害動物的生態環境，從而提昇了他們的環保意識，推動他們身體力行去為生態環境出一分力，減少對大自然的污染。於疫情中能於青年廣場展出作品實在十分難得，Michelle為作品設計的場景及提詩令學生大開眼界，獲益良多。』
曾老師，香港上水官立中學
(Translation: A sincere thank you to Michelle for her careful guidance of the students in the community art project. She led the students to paint with Chinese ink and mixed media on wooden boards, creating a series of Artificial Intelligence animals in the future world. Through creative work, students have a deeper understanding of the affected endangered species and how human activities pollute, affect and endanger the ecological environment of animals. The project enhances their environmental awareness and motivates them to make a contribution to the ecological environment and to reduce pollution.
It is a rare opportunity to exhibit the finished works in the Youth Square, especially during the epidemic. The poems and landscape painting designed by Michelle as the backdrop for students' works have opened the eyes of the students and benefited tremendously.)
Ms. Zeng,
Hong Kong Sheung Shui Government High School, 2021.
Michael. Aged 11.
Acrylic on wood.
"Plastic, plastic, every where! by Michelle Fung is an excellent and intriguing piece of visual art depicting a world where plastic pollution has become so extreme that children have to eat plastic in order to help solve the problem. I personally found Fung’s use of animals to portray humans to be an excellent choice because that’s exactly what we are – animals.
Why do we so often choose to separate ourselves from the rest of the world’s animals and treat them as lesser? The satirical idea proposed in this piece asking, “If animals can learn to eat plastic, why can’t children?”, shows the ridiculousness of our world’s current environmental situation. Animals are not learning to eat plastic, and neither are the children – they are being made to by those with power over them. By focusing on the dodos as the main characters, I believe it is meant to show that if we continue on this path of destruction we too will end up extinct like the dodos of the past and shows that we ourselves might not be any smarter than those “typically considered as a stupid animal”. Like the older dodo, there are people who care about the environment and do what they can to look after the natural world, but they can only do so much. Even though the dodo seemed to live a simple and natural life over the years (like an “animal”), the rest of the world was continuously producing more and more pollution, so much so that the whole world was wasting away because of it. More often than not, it’s those who are most innocent in a situation who are hurt the worst, and who in this world are more innocent than children and animals?
There is so much more content in this 23-minute film that is worth discussing, but I would certainly need a few more pages to do so. It is full of layers of meaning and allows for interpretation while still delivering a clear message. If we as a human collective continue to be so careless, eventually it will reach a point where there’s “plastic, plastic, every where, [and] not a soul is left.”.
Student , The University of Victoria, Canada, 2018.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Michelle for her guidance given to my son, Michael. She helped Michael not only on drawing skills but also opening the door to his artistic journey.
Over the two years of learning, Michelle inspired and encouraged Michael to strive to his best. New skills would be introduced in each project. Michael might spend months on a single project. They tried together to repeat the work over and over again just to push him to his utmost. We were always surprised to see the outcome though it took quite some time.
Michael may not turn to an artist widely recognized in the future. However, he developed an interest which seasons his life. Michelle is really a wonderful artist and an amazing teacher.
Wish Michelle every success in the future!
Michael’s mom, 2021
