Chinese flower plaque workshop with Wingkei, Choi 蔡榮基

I have always been fascinated with bamboo scaffolding because it is used instead of metal on skyscrapers..
Bamboo structures are also used in Chinese Flower plaques 花牌 which are bright red and made with bamboo frames, wire mesh, paper and plastic.

I discovered that there was a Chinese flower plaque workshop held for free at Caritas by Wingkei, Choi, the owner of Wing Kei Flower Shop 榮基花店 so I had to register for it because you don't often get to participate and it was a good experience to learn how the flower plaques are made.

Before I attended the workshop I initially thought the bamboo frames were already made so all we had to do was to decorate it with the bits and pieces.
It was really fun because everything was made from scratch, we got to saw the bamboo, split the bamboo into four pieces vertically and this big frame was made by tying it together with wires.
No glue is used hence bamboo splinters are made to hold things together, however staplers are used to staple the flowers onto the board.

The lessons were held on Saturday afternoons and the first lesson was sawing and splitting the bamboo, the second lesson involved making metallic flowers and building the bamboo frame, the third and fourth lesson was Chinese calligraphy and fixing the writings on to the frame.

Sawing and splitting the bamboo into four:

Making metallic flowers:

Making the Flower Plaque frames:

The main Flower plaque frame by Wingkei Choi:

Lining the Flower plaque frame with newspapers and stabilizing it with bamboo splints:

Stapling the flowers to the frames:

Painting the Chinese characters:

Attaching the sheets to the plaque:

I shall post an update again next year when they put these Flower Plaques up in early January 2018!!

English media on Wingkei Choi:
http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2020649/how-hong-kong-flower-plaque-maker-bringing-craft-west

Organizers of the Flower Plaque workshop:
一刻 社區設計館 Magic Lanes
https://www.facebook.com/magiclanesstudio/

明愛莫張瑞勤社區中心 (MCSKCC)
https://www.facebook.com/mcskcc

榮基花牌（香港）有限公司
https://www.facebook.com/wingkeiflowerstore

傳統花牌扎作班！[Quoted from 明愛莫張瑞勤社區中心 Caritas FB]:
非常榮幸 榮基花牌（香港）有限公司 蔡榮基師傅親自教授，我們一眾西區街坊一起落手落腳實實在在製作一個12呎闊、15呎高的大花牌！師傅話呢次同街坊一齊合作真係開創歷史先河！
我們會在這裡繼續分享花牌的製作的進展，並會完成後於 #西營盤 #常豐里 #一刻社區設計館 開幕典禮展覽！

#傳統花牌扎作班
#真正的花牌
#榮基花牌 #常豐里
#街坊參與
#社區
#花牌