‘Give a man a fish, he eats for a day; teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime.’ At Paint Our Sweets, the path to self-sufficiency begins with art and baking. Founded by Jay Ng, the Hong Kong social enterprise helps young people aged 16 to 25 develop the skills to turn a creative passion into a profession.
Its hand-painted cakes take inspiration from Chinese calligraphy and classical poetry, turning Eastern aesthetics into something you can slice and share. Learning to create them links artistic expression with the practical skills needed to earn a living – helping young makers go from their first workshop to securing their first paying customer.
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Finding A Different Kind Of Canvas
At Paint Our Sweets, an interest in art and baking becomes a foundation young people can develop – even before they have a portfolio or professional experience. Through practical workshops and training, they learn to combine the two, paying as much attention to flavour as to the details painted across each cake.
The training helps participants see how their passion for art and baking can translate into a professional future. As their skills develop, they begin to view cake-making as a craft they could earn a living from – with each creation giving them something tangible to show for their progress.
Many participants also bring a personal interest in Chinese literature to their work. Familiar poems inspire their designs, while Chinese calligraphy and classical verse become the centrepiece of each cake. Decorating offers a new way to engage with the writing they enjoy, making their own cultural interests part of the creative process.
When these cakes are shared at celebrations and special occasions, that connection reaches the table. A line of poetry can invite a question; a hand-painted detail can draw attention to the words it accompanies. Each cake becomes a canvas for its maker and a conversation starter for those sharing it, before the first slice is cut.
From Workshops To Commission
According to Paint Our Sweets, most participants are ready to continue from workshops and skill-building onto professional work within around six months. As the paths of these young bakers and artists begin to branch off, this is where founder Jay Ng’s vision becomes vitally practical.
Training is just the beginning. The long-term aim is to create opportunities beyond what happens at the enterprise. There is no single ‘next step.’ Some go on to lead classes through partner organisations – moving from learning a skill to teaching it. Others develop their own cakes for market, taking on the challenge of turning creative ideas and expertise into something a customer would choose.
The point of Paint Our Sweet’s mission is not to keep these young people as perpetual students, instead giving them room to become practitioners – sustaining a future career through what they have learned. That progression matters: learning a craft is one thing, garnering opportunities to practise it professionally is another.
Work They Can Put Their Name To
Paint Our Sweets wants its cakes to be chosen for their quality and craftsmanship. For a young maker, that choice carries a particular significance. Someone has trusted their taste and creative judgement with an occasion that matters, and delivering the finished cake is a chance to earn that trust.
Taking responsibility for the work also means taking credit for it. From its flavour to the final painted detail, the cake reflects decisions the maker can stand behind. That sense of ownership is part of Jay’s vision for young people who recognise the value of their abilities and feel confident putting their names to what they create.
A cake is made to be cut, shared and finished. But a customer can remember who made it, return for another celebration or pass the name to a friend. Through those connections, individual commissions can begin to build a reputation – one that belongs to the artist.
Follow @paint_our_sweets.hk to explore their work and support Hong Kong’s young creative talent.
Born in Korea and raised in Hong Kong, Min Ji has combined her degree in anthropology and creative writing with her passion for going on unsolicited tangents as an editor at Friday Club. In between watching an endless amount of movies, she enjoys trying new cocktails and pastas while occasionally snapping a few pictures.
