SHISAN

Creativity, at its gentlest,

becomes a way of holding loved ones close.

Shisan was once a product designer at a Fortune 500 company. But like many, his career was abruptly interrupted.

Where something could have stopped, something else quietly began.

“I started carving wood purely to make toys for my daughter,

her toys are fragile and break easily, but wood is sturdy."

That little thought opened the door to a larger creative journey.

"My wife was always bringing home fresh fruit, and that simple act inspired me."

Miss Strawberry, Miss Durian, Miss Mango—the Miss Fruit series began to take shape.

"Back when I worked with computers, drawing a shape or changing a color took only a click.

But woodcarving is different, reminding me of the quiet focus I had while learning to draw as a child."

Every detail, the depth of an eye, the curve of a cheek, the translucent wash of color, reveals his pursuit and devotion. It’s a kind of devotion that only love can sustain, a persistence born not from obligation, but from genuine passion.

In his story, there is no bitterness over what was lost, only tenderness for those he holds dear.

“I like to keep colors light and translucent,”

“It feels calm and soothing.”

Shisan's studio located at the basement beneath his wife’s studio, life and work are tightly intertwined.

“There is no arguments,

we share opinions, support each other, protect each other.”

The healing lies not only in the pieces he creates, but in the way he moves through life, quietly accompanying his loved ones, patiently shaping each moment.

Beyond wood, he continues to seek out new horizons. In Jingdezhen, China’s historic capital of porcelain, he studied ceramics and returned with fresh possibilities in mind.

“My daughter loves monkeys lately,

I’m working on designing one.”

That spirit of care runs through his life. In a sketchbook, he keeps delicate records of his daughter’s life. Drawings are recorded down to the exact day and time.

His creations are rooted in love, and that love circles back to sustain him.

For Shisan, creativity goes beyond shaping products, it’s a way of weaving bonds, capturing moments, and turning love into something that endures.

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