Crafting Creativity: Bibi Cheung on Teaching, Learning, and Inspiring through Short Courses

With over 25 years of experience, Bibi’s courses strike a balance between technical precision and creative exploration. During her Bombé Ring short course, participants delve into the skilful art of forming and shaping metal sheets, exploring techniques such as template design, hammering, and rub-over setting to craft bold, elegant jewellery pieces. Pencil Drawing and Wax Modelling offers a foundational approach to design, guiding students to transform tonal sketches into meticulously crafted wax models.

In this interview, Bibi reflects on her creative journey, her teaching philosophy, and what students can expect from her upcoming short courses. Whether you’re an established designer-maker looking to refine your craftsmanship or a curious emerging talent eager to push creative boundaries, Bibi’s courses offer a unique opportunity to learn from a skilled practitioner who champions thoughtful design, fearless creativity, and the joy of making.

I started learning jewellery when I was 21! I studied at the Sir John Cass College in London, where I built a foundation in jewellery skills. I was awarded a certificate in 1989 and a Master’s degree in 1996. At school, I wasn’t especially academic. Initially, I studied Graphic Design, and after graduation, I realised that 2D design did not fully satisfy me. I had the opportunity to come from Hong Kong to the UK to study. Creating 3D objects with my hands filled a void in my life. Since then, I have truly loved working with metal.

Fortunately, I had very good teachers. My professors understood the art of teaching as much as they did metalwork and design. I started jewellery from absolute zero, but I was instantly immersed in everything they threw at me – coursework, competitions, even occasional side work. I saw what an impact proper training could have. My professors were a huge inspiration for me, and I aspired to someday follow in their steps.

Teaching requires a completely different set of skills. Beyond expertise in the topic, you need to have a genuine passion for sharing knowledge and the ability to communicate with a diverse audience. Before I started, I used to feel nervous about interacting with people and explaining concepts clearly. However, teaching can surprise you by showing just how capable you are. It helped me face my fears and allowed me to develop confidence and communication skills.

At the Goldsmiths’ Centre, in addition to short courses, I teach Day Release for apprentices and on the Foundation Programme, working as part of the Centre’s professional training team. Along with other teachers, we plan the programme which ranges from design to production. Short courses appeal to me because they offer freedom and flexibility in designing course layouts. I can tailor the schedule based on duration, class size, and content. However, working within a tighter time frame can be challenging for both me and the students in terms of achieving the best results.

In the upcoming short course, participants will learn to create a hollow ring, design templates, and use hammers and punches on sheet metal to shape and form the design. Students will also explore stone-setting techniques.

Given the time restraints, this course is ideal for learners of an intermediate skill level. One challenge that students will learn to overcome when forming metal is maintaining balance and shape. Hammering one side pulls the metal in that direction, so it’s important to counterbalance by hammering the opposite side.

Understanding volume when wax carving, is not always easy, using pencil drawing, helps you plan in one tone. The darkest areas will be the deepest parts, and the lighter areas will be raised higher. This process helps your brain to visualise and naturally create a kind of schedule - you’re already thinking about where the highs and lows will be when you start carving.

Jumping straight into carving can work, but it often means spending more time fixing mistakes. Sketching first lets you map out shapes and levels, making wax modelling faster and more precise. It’s much easier to refine a design on paper than to correct it in wax, saving both time and materials. As a designer, I’ve seen firsthand how starting with a clear plan improves efficiency and keeps costs down.

Some people think planning is a waste of time, but it actually speeds up the process and makes the results better. When you plan first, you can sit down, start sculpting, and know exactly what you're doing without second-guessing. That’s where the real time and cost savings come in.

When sculpting in wax, the planning stage is often overlooked. By starting out with a pencil drawing, you can completely map your composition, finalise shapes, and plan the details - all up-front. When you get down to sculpting, you have a much clearer direction to then focus on volumes and depth.

During this course, which integrates both pencil and wax, you will develop powerful fundamental skills, from drawing 3D forms to reading thickness in your wax sculpts.

Short courses are a great way to broaden your skill set with self-directed study. They provide an introduction to techniques and help you decide what suits you. You can link these skills together as you develop your own practice. Continuous learning is important, whether for mastering a technique or finding someone to fill gaps in your knowledge.

I don’t have a filter - I learn out of pure curiosity. From the moment I entered the Cass to today, I’m still like that. The more I learn, the easier it becomes to apply different skills to complete projects in the most effective way. I like to combine new technologies with traditional methods to achieve the best results. I don’t believe we need to choose one way or the other.

Learning new things excites me, even though sometimes, when I come across new techniques at first, I may resist them. But once I give them a chance, I’m quick to embrace them, learn them, and apply them. Teaching adds variety to my work and I love the energy, passion, and enthusiasm of my students. They remind me of myself and how I began.

For those starting in the industry, I would advise embracing both patience and passion. Patience is key for learning new skills, while passion will keep you motivated to keep going. Some people prefer working for established companies, while others want to start their own brand. Of course, it really depends on your personality and resources. To be honest, neither path is easier than the other.

When I was younger, I was always thinking that being a designer would be my dream job. Right after graduation, I landed my dream role in Hong Kong, which lasted exactly four months before I realised being a full-time designer wasn’t for me. I set up two companies - a personal brand and a teaching studio - and took on part-time work as a guest lecturer at the Hong Kong Polytechnic and Hong Kong Baptist University. I believed in my education and skills to pursue what I loved.

Working for yourself comes with plenty of challenges. On top of problem-solving technical work for projects, you also have to deal with paying all your expenses and navigating the complexities of running a business. A lot of it involves self-learning. Essential skills - such as pricing your work, confidently and sustainably, marketing, and legal paperwork for clients and governments - are challenges that new makers often face. But, I believe every experience, even the difficult ones, is a learning curve. Staying in this industry needs a lot of patience and passion because it’s not always smooth sailing. There are ups and downs, and you have to learn how to keep going and develop resilience.

Some people think that learning new skills is not for them, but the more you learn, the better prepared you are to stay in the market. It doesn’t mean you have to do everything yourself - learning to delegate is part of it, if you know how something can be made, you’re better at explaining it or guiding others.

These days, you need to be knowledgeable in so many areas - social media, website design, writing, photography. One way or another, it always pays off to stay curious and keep learning. It’s all about finding balance: learn enough to have some freedom, but also know when to stop and focus on what you do best and enjoy. That’s a fine balance to strike.