Growing up, Lien spent a lot of time drawing, painting, sewing, and learning to sculpt with her Grandad, but as she grew older, she lost this creative spark. After graduating with a Marketing degree, she found herself working an office job with no sense of direction. It was at age twenty-one, when Lien moved to London, that she rediscovered her passion for ceramics.  

In her early collections, Lien only worked with porcelain, focusing on the tactile experience of the work: how it felt, how it fit in her hands ergonomically, and the smooth textures. As her creativity grew, Lien felt herself taking a step back to explore what truly resonated with her and kept coming back to the sculpting lessons she had as a child with her Grandad.  

“Those moments were where I felt the most creatively curious and fulfilled.” 

This curiosity and connection to her Grandad led Lien to experiment with storytelling through sculpture. With this inspiration she began an annual Lunar New Year project, throwing a moon jar on the wheel and hand sculpting the zodiac animal of the year onto its surface. With this project, Lien discovered that she wanted her work to not only reflect its function, but also memory, ancestry, and tradition.  

Lien often incorporates animals, folklore, and elements of Vietnamese culture into her pieces through sculptural details and carving. She is intrigued by animals and how their symbolism can hold powerful spiritual and cultural significances.  

“Each piece carries a narrative, whether it’s a personal memory or a broader cultural reference, allowing me to honour my heritage whilst evolving my practice.” 

Lien works from her outdoor studio in Noranda, Perth. Her process usually starts with a memory, animal, or symbol that she is intrigued by. She starts with the base form, throwing it on the wheel, before going in with a cobalt slip or hand-sculpted decoration.  

When asked about her creative routine, Lien acknowledged she doesn’t follow anything strict, but there are certain rituals which help her set the flow of her creativity.  

“I usually have music playing. Each collection has a dedicated playlist… I’ll listen to something calming if I’m in a slow, sculptural phase or something more upbeat if I’m throwing on the wheel… and always some kind of tea – right now I’ve been drinking a lot of chrysanthemum and goji berry tea.”  

Working also as a pastry chef, Lien believes that there is a similar sense of precision and patience in both her crafts. She enjoys exploring with flavour and texture in her desserts which often involves a lot of trial and error, a process shared with her ceramics practice.  

“You are always leaning and exploring – sometimes it comes out exactly how you want and other times it takes a few tries.” 

Lien believes working with dough and pastry has helped to refine her hand skills, translating in the way she sculpts details in clay. Her porcelain dumplings are the perfect combination of her two passions: food and ceramics in one.  

At the heart of her work, Lien hopes people feel a sense of connection when they interact with her pieces, whether it be through the story behind a sculptural piece or the simple comfort of holding a well-crafted cup. Lien’s functional pieces are designed to be lived with and used daily, turning small moments – like drinking a cup of tea or coffee – into a ritual. For her sculptural pieces, Lien hopes they spark a sense of creative curiosity, drawing the viewer into the details and engaging with the story behind each piece.  

“At its core, my work is about storytelling, both my own and the stories people create around the pieces once they bring them into their lives.” 

All Images supplied by artist.