Veiled Moon
The Journey to Veiled Moon
Martin from The Broken Desk visited us at The New Moon HQ to share seven scents that he had concocted with us in mind. Together, we refined and honed the scent until it gave us both the aroma and feeling that we felt best expressed us as a brand in this moment in time. An incredible and unexpectedly enlightening and deep experience, where we dug deep into our scent memory banks to excavate the scent triggers that would ensure lighting this candle would be the experience we wanted it to be.
Big thank you to Martin from The Broken Desk for leading us through this experience and teaching us more about our noses, our memories as well as bringing Veiled Moon to life with us!
Our other collaborator, Grace Tong of HIUCHI ceramics, then created these amazing vessels to house the wonderful scent that Martin helped distil for us.
Get to know Grace and HIUCHI a little better with our Q&A below.
Please introduce yourself. Who are you? Where are you from? What do you do and why do you do what you do?
Hello, I am Grace Tong, the founder and designer of HIUCHI. I am a ceramist. HIUCHI was born from a desire to appreciate art and beautiful things in the face of living a hectic city lifestyle. As a way to slow the pace, I design homewares and create art pieces inspired by landscapes and forms found in nature.
How did you get into ceramics?
I studied fashion before I got into ceramics. At the time, the rise of fast fashion and the hasty process of going from design to production was the clear reason why products were both cheap and short-lived. I wanted to create products that are long-lasting, and encourage people to slow down and become more conscious in their lifestyle. A slow process with lots of trial and error was the reason I got into ceramics; as it requires your full attention and focus. Every move and decision affects how the product will look, and it gives me a huge sense of accomplishment to see my work emerge from the kiln every time.
Where did you learn your craft?
When I first started learning ceramics, it wasn’t that accessible or popular in Hong Kong. Besides, my work schedule was irregular, and it was difficult for me to find a regular class in order to learn my pottery skills consistently. So I started reading books and watching videos online about ceramics and craft, and learned by experimenting and eventually regularly practising.
What do you like and dislike most about your craft?
What I love most about ceramics is the joy of seeing my work! It expresses my relentless pursuit of detail. Whether it is shape, line, colour or texture, there is a set of strict standards that I follow to ensure my work comes out as I imagined. The downside to this is that sometimes my work lacks a sense of freedom – sometimes I am harsh on myself. I aim to create with more freedom in the future!
Who do you admire in your craft and beyond?
There are a lot of great ceramists I admire from Japan – I am striving to learn, and one day be like them. Taketoshi Ito is a potter that I have very much admired since I was a beginner, his works are very delicate and he pays great attention to details.
What are your own wellness practices?
I do a little reflection at the end of the day. Every night before I head to bed, I take a moment to go over the things I did on the day, digest my thoughts and emotions. It is a great way to help me reflect on my day, rest well and kickstart my creativity the following day.
Can you tell us more about the moon-shaped candle vessel you made for The New Moon?
For this collaboration with The New Moon, I immediately thought of HIUCHI’s signature collection, The Moon. The vessel was made to imitate the textures and appearance of the Moon with Japanese black clay. This particular clay brings out a natural black colour without any glaze, which is why we can keep the detailed textures of the moon. Every vessel is completely handmade in Hong Kong, including the textures of the moon, hence each is one of a kind!
What do you hope people experience with Veiled Moon?
We hope this candle can bring a sense of calm and peace when you burn it; almost as if we are all on the moon, watching the Earth spin below us, allowing ourselves to let go of the stress and worries of the day.
