The 33-year-old, known for her inventive take on Chinese calligraphy, smiles warmly as she transforms the request for traditional brushwork into a playful masterpiece.
Traditionally inscribed on red paper with Chinese characters symbolising prosperity and blessings, Ng incorporates charming caricatures into her work, turning this centuries-old tradition into modern, playful art.
Imagine cute bears, and pop-culture icons like Hello Kitty, Detective Conan, and Blackpink Lisa’s Cry Baby doll adding a whimsical touch to traditional scrolls and couplets that usually adorn doorways and walls during the festive season.
“People think calligraphy is just for the older generation, but adding cute designs attracts kids and young adults,” the Bentong-born artist told FMT Lifestyle.
“At events, when I draw something fun, people stop, watch, and engage. It brings them joy.”
Her unique talent draws crowds and corporate clients, especially during Chinese New Year. This year, Ng is busier than ever with over 20 live events and online orders.
Nevertheless, she walks a fine line between innovation and tradition. At corporate events or for older clients, she sticks to classic styles – “I was trained traditionally, after all” – but for younger crowds at bazaars and pop-up markets, she lets her creativity flow.
“Once, a young person told me that my booth looked old-fashioned,” she recalled. “That’s when I realised that I had to adapt.”
Ng’s foray into art started at a young age, when she learnt the piano and participated in drawing competitions at school. “When I was six, I wrote ‘artist’ as my ambition in kindergarten. I didn’t even know what it meant!” she laughed.
Encouraged by her knack for drawing and a growing love for music, she began experimenting with art, despite the scepticism at home about its viability as a career. “People in small towns often think art is just a hobby,” she noted.
Getting straight As in her SPM examination didn’t help, as “everyone asked me to study medicine, engineering, accountancy”. But there was a voice within her that nudged her to pick art as she couldn’t forget what she’d written as her ambition when she was six.
Ng eventually studied interior design at New Era College in Kajang. During her college years, she shared her caricatures on social media. “Friends started asking if I could draw for them.”
What began as RM10 commissions soon blossomed into a freelance business. However, it wasn’t until she rediscovered her childhood lessons in Chinese calligraphy that her artistic style truly came into its own.
Her first encounter with Chinese calligraphy happened by chance: her sister had enrolled in a class run by the Hokkien Association in Bentong, and her parents decided to send Ng along, too.
“I was hyperactive as a child,” she admitted, “but calligraphy calmed me. The soft brush creating strong strokes felt magical.”
For six years, she practised under the guidance of her teachers, mastering the precise, deliberate movements that define this ancient art form. But despite her traditional training, Ng embraced experimentation, inspired by modern Chinese art on Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social media platform.
Soon she was blending calligraphy with caricature, crafting designs both nostalgic and fresh, something she does with her family during Chinese New Year.
“I teach them how to draw dragons or write some simple words. My mum loves it, and even my dad joins in, though he mostly just plays around!” she shared.
This connection to family and heritage, Ng stressed, is at the heart of her work. And while she enjoys experimenting with modern styles, she remains grounded in the traditions she was taught as a child.
“Chinese culture has a very long history. One of the beautiful things about it, especially Chinese calligraphy, is that it has a hidden meaning. You need patience to uncover its beauty,” she reflected.
“Our ancestors took thousands of years to study this and pass it on. We are still learning it today, and for me, that is something very special.”
Follow Vivian Ng on Instagram and learn more about her works here.