In January 2021 senselessart Studio welcomed our second artist for our Artist in Residence program.

Sao-Mai Nguyen is writing her first novel, a historical family drama inspired by her family's stories. She first met Rachel when she joined Hong Kong Stories in 2017. Hong Kong Stories helped her find her voice, and she became even more engaged in storytelling when she started coaching others to craft their stories. She happily hosted Hong Kong Stories' show for the Hong Kong Literary Festival in 2020. This novel is her way of putting all that she has learned to the test. It started small, then grew, and meandered, and grew again, thanks to the support of so many. Including Rachel, of course.

"The first gift Rachel gave me was her listening ear, and her frank, constructive, eye-opening comments on my story. The second gift was the support from one artist to another in the process of creation, through the highs and the lows, the doubts and the bliss. And now, she is giving me a space inhabited by the creative energy of so many, where I am surrounded by things that are still becoming - the perfect space to be inspired and let my novel unfold. And hopefully by the end of the year, I can hold up a completed first draft. In the meantime, it is such a privilege to be able to lift my head up from my writing and ask Rachel - the mistress of senselessart Studio- 'Hey, does my story still make sense?' "

We are very pleased to have Sao Mai joining us in the studio and look forward to reading her masterpiece!