Barnard Chan was exposed to modern woodworking from childhood as his father was in the carpentry business. Cecilia Lai has been interested in crafts since the age of ten. She worked in the media industry after graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion and Textile at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. After a few years, she turned to develop her craft of weaving.

The duo co-founded Breakthrough Art Studio in 2015 to focus on the exploration and research of traditional weaving crafts, and the cultural and creative industry. They are developing as a local brand of weaving tools and weaving workshops. Based on their in-depth study of Southeast Asian textile culture, they have developed a comprehensive and structured curriculum to make the craft of weaving and the culture behind it more accessible to the public. They believe the exploration of crafts is a never-ending journey, and each complements one another. Thus, the two are keen to explore the craftsmanship of natural materials and the possibilities of mixed media.