Meritorious Artist Nguyen Thi Hoi is currently the Director of Ha Thai lacquer Cooperative and Chairwoman of the Hong Van Commune Craft Village Association (Hanoi).
Born in 1958 in a family with a tradition of lacquer painting, Mrs. Hoi was soon destined for traditional materials since she was 16 years old. However, her 50-year journey with the profession has not been flat, it has been a series of days - as she said "to change, overcome the storm and revive an entire heritage".
Ms. Hoi said that after her first years working as a carpenter and lacquer painter, her life as a craftsman witnessed a major turning point when the cooperative dissolved in 1991. No more orders, no more old jobs, having to temporarily put aside passion for traditional work to return to farming, but the "professional fire" in Mrs. Hoi's heart has never been extinguished...
"When I was working in the cooperative, I was assigned to make products such as men's male grooming, men's skin shaping... When the cooperative dissolved, I was divided into fields and returned to farming. But the passion for the profession is still burning, thanks to the help and encouragement of my friends, I am determined to return to the work I am passionate about... - Ms. Hoi shared.
Those were difficult days. Mrs. Hoi had to register as a seasonal worker at lacquer workshops to have money to cover expenses, while studying hard, accumulating more experience and capital. For many years, this perseverance has created a solid stepping stone. In 2003, with some capital, Ms. Hoi decided to start a business and open her own workshop.
Communications were not developed at that time, so promoting and finding a consumer was a difficult problem. Not discouraged, my wife and I went from our hometown to Hanoi's Old Quarter to introduce handicraft products to the stores. Thanks to his persistent love for the profession and tireless efforts, the business has gradually grown. The items are diversified, from bowls, plates, bottles to large paintings, meeting market demand... - Ms. Hoi shared.
After 50 years of being attached to the profession, now, Meritorious Artist Nguyen Thi Hoi can close her eyes to visualize and describe the production process of the products. A simple flower bottle also has to go through about 12 stages. For more elaborate vases, there are about 14 - 15 stages. The painting is the most complex product, from 17 to 20 stages, which can take months or even a whole year to complete. It is necessary to be meticulous in every step, from processing wood chips, lacning and grinding many layers, to decorating silver or eggshells," the artist confided.
Each work of Mrs. Hoi has an exquisite personal mark, inspired by the images closest to Vietnamese people: countryside scenery, lotus flowers, buffaloes... That is how she spreads beautiful images of her homeland to international friends.
In the context of opening up international integration, Ha Thai lacquer craft village is also facing major changes. According to Ms. Hoi, the number of households practicing the profession has decreased sharply, from 80% before, now there are only about 300 households (less than 30%).
Faced with this situation, Meritorious Artist Nguyen Thi Hoi affirmed: "It is very important to change thinking and strive to find a direction for the craft village".
Her vision is not only to maintain and preserve traditional crafts, but also to create jobs and high income for producers. To do that, craft villages need to keep up with new trends, grasp consumer tastes; apply modern technology to create products rich in designs, high fashion, technical and aesthetic qualities.
Ms. Hoi personally regularly participates in international fairs, learning design trends to improve product quality. Although she is now old, she has temporarily stopped exporting and only focuses on production according to domestic orders, handicrafts are still enthusiastically welcomed, especially bottles and flower bottles as gifts.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoi's persistent contributions have been recognized. In 2006, she was one of the first 4 people in the craft village to be recognized as an artisan. In 2020, she was honored to be awarded the title of Meritorious Artist by the President along with many other outstanding certificates and achievements.
