Phuoc Son "broke up" with the profession of a barista to pursue his passion for epoxy resin
Sparkling
Phuoc Son is well known for his talent of painting "surreal" 3D fish on ceramic and porcelain materials. Currently, as he has been constantly learning and refreshing himself, he has invested heartily in art works made of synthetic epoxy resin glue.
Phuoc Son shared: “In the world, products made of epoxy resin glue are not too strange, but in Vietnam, especially in Hue, this material is still very new. Fortunately, the price of the epoxy resin is not too expensive, so that I can easily access and learn about it”.
Epoxy resin is also known as epoxy glue or AB glue (A: Resin, B: hardener). Epoxy resin is used in many different fields, including the beautiful and unique handmade crafts. Normally, epoxy users must measure accurately, the ratio of resin to hardener can be 2/1 or 3/1, depending on types. This is the golden ratio for making 3D fish paintings, table surfaces, and jewelry, etc.
A blue ocean made of epoxy resin
With epoxy resin, the craftsman creates scenes from entities to tinting effects, using specialized glues, even using epoxy glue to create effects like waves, etc.
Phuoc Son shared: “When being combined artfully, products made of epoxy glue are soulful, sparkling, and delicate. I would love to combine epoxy glue with wood to make art tables which can be decorated with seascape, and 3D fish.”
Directly looking at the shimmering and beautiful handmade crafts made by Phuoc Son, we feel more clearly what the 9X boy has shared. They are small waves crashing on the wooden platform, and the 3D fishes swimming around in the moss-green water. All of them are extremely natural, vivid and true.
In fact, epoxy resin is not only used to create tables, chairs, cabinets, but also used to make diorama, jewelry, and phone cases, etc., which are of high durability and rich in art.
Turn passion into money
Nguyen Phuoc Son got to know epoxy resin glue thanks to the "fate" of painting 3D fish, which has given the 9X boy more motivation to create art-rich products.
“To me, it is very difficult to make 3D fish paintings, and making products of epoxy resin is many times harder. Making a simple comparison, the size of a ceramic bowl (to make a 3D fish painting) with a table with a whole meter in circumference (to make an epoxy table); only the step of controlling and limiting the glue is a problem”.
Being meticulous to create art-rich products
To make an art table, firstly, Phuoc Son has to select and process wood billets carefully. To make the wood matched but still stand out when combined with epoxy resin glue, Son often uses Burretiodendron hsienmu wood, Magnolia wood, and Cinnamomum parthenoxylon Meisn wood.
Phuoc Son only processes the shell or the part which is easily damaged, and keeps the wood grains unchanged so as to keep the work with its most natural beauty. Then, he makes the mould, and pours the glue.
The 23-year-old boy said: “The glue layer must be less than one centimeter to avoid the glue generating heat, easily causing deformation and bubble. I usually paint 3D fish, or create waves and effects by using starfish, shells, and gravels, etc.”.
To have a perfect product made of epoxy resin, all the steps must be carefully prepared from treating the wood, moulding, mixing the glue and controlling the bubble to creating effects. Phuoc Son has equipped himself with a sanding machine, a torch machine to make his products bright and beautiful. Being rich in art, shimmering and beautiful, as well as resistant to water and heat, Phuoc Son’s products have numerous customers.
With the passion for epoxy resin, the 9X boy gave up his job as a barista (coffee barista) to pursue this career. Son shared: “Although in Hue, epoxy resin has not yet been developed, I believe that with the perseverance, dedication and the truly love for the career, success will come. Now, being able to immerse myself in these pristine, colorful products is a blessing to me. ”
Currently, products made by Phuoc Son are mainly supplied for the markets of Hanoi and Hai Phong. With the average price of each table ranging from some millions to tens of millions of VND, the fine art products made of epoxy resin glue by the Hue boy have been proving their value in the epoxy art market of the whole country.
Story and photos: MAI HUE