Hong Kong people generally do not like to read too many words. The prevalence of social media has made everyone accustomed to receiving concise short videos. Images with title text, short videos of just a few minutes seem to have “completely” explained everything. How long has it been since you touched a book, patiently flipping through each page, carefully appreciating every word in the book? StoryTeller founder Alice wants to tell stories with words, leading everyone back to the imaginative and fun world of books, finding the warm feeling of healing the soul from the words.
// Adding a story to the artwork to touch people’s hearts //
Before founding the story-sharing platform StoryTeller, Alice worked in design and digital marketing. As a lover of painting and creation, she noticed that many local and overseas artists were not good at connecting with the public. Therefore, she decided to use her professional knowledge of the digital market and her passion for creation to pair artworks with different stories and share them on social media. By using the “caption with image” approach, she bridged the gap between art and people through storytelling. Despite not coming from a writing background, she became a storyteller and gradually fell in love with the healing power of words. “I can’t say I used to read a lot, but since founding StoryTeller 4 years ago, I have read more than before, met many local writers, and immersed myself in Hong Kong’s cultural scene. I have truly felt the healing power of creating and reading words.” For Alice, creating stories and reading stories have no boundaries. Whether it’s a simple children’s picture book, children see it as “entertainment,” while adults with life experiences see it as “inspiration.” Stories constructed with imagination provide us with different perspectives to reflect on life.
// Changing Lives Through Stories //
How to tell a story through illustrations? How to inspire hearts with stories again? Alice shared how she once created a story with a drawing called “Shepherd” as the inspiration. The story tells of a profession in New Zealand called “Shepherd,” who would come to the aid of sheep struggling to walk through the rain due to their wool absorbing a large amount of water whenever there was heavy rain. The “Shepherd” may seem like a fictional story, but by imagining yourself in the role, you can be the “Shepherd” who helps others through difficult times, or you can be the “little lamb” quietly waiting for help, your simple gesture of “It’s Ok” can be a guiding light and support for others to overcome challenges. Alice creates stories through imagination, crafting fictional tales that contain profound life lessons, conveying real emotions that can connect and touch hearts. Broaden your imagination to bring small changes to life, then expand your imagination in a new life, creating endless possibilities.
// Rediscover your curious heart //
Starting with short stories about life, let reading become an addictive habit, just like how we engage with social media. Social media brings various conveniences to our lives, but various algorithms constantly “feed” us with information they think we are interested in, which can eventually become a habit and dependency, leading to a loss of curiosity in actively seeking out information. “Our lack of imagination is due to a lack of curiosity. We often solve problems with preset and established patterns, too lazy to think further. Even accepting information allows us to be fed, no longer actively searching. However, instead of blaming new technology for our lack of imagination and curiosity, we should ask ourselves if we should cultivate a consciousness of choice.” Alice believes that the future is built with imagination. Instead of constantly reading similar information on our phones, it is better to pause and imagine, whether through creating or reading, to organize our thoughts and rediscover curiosity in life.
// Unexpected Rewards from Online to Offline //
Since we want to encourage everyone to temporarily put aside their online lives, what exactly is a StoryTeller that people get to know through social media? This question once made Alice consider ending this labor of love. “After some thought, I realized that my original intention was to establish a platform for connecting people and art.” It is this original intention that prompted Alice to bring StoryTeller from online to offline, through organizing exhibitions, publishing books, and even creating a physical space like Cabinet of Stories with the concept of a mini museum, allowing readers to truly connect and communicate. “Earlier, I received an inbox message from a couple who were about to immigrate, hoping to revisit Cabinet of Stories before leaving Hong Kong to relive happy and joyful memories. This touched me deeply. Even though the pandemic has reduced our operating hours, there are still people who will remember and cherish this small space hidden in the city.” Perhaps this is the infinite possibility that creativity and imagination give to stories and words, you can never imagine the power of words, their warmth can not only heal the soul, but also strengthen the connection between people.
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Producer: Vicky Wai
Editor: Candy Chan
Videographer: Andy Lee, @man_tam_
Photographer: @man_tam_
Video Editor: Andy Lee
Designer: Tanna Cheng
Special Thanks: @a_slow_soul, @everyone.is.storyteller, @cabinet.of.stories
