Stephen Yip Yuk Fai has been awarded the Silver Prize at the Future Art & Design Award UK 2025 Summer Season for his mixed media painting Heart Knot, a deeply personal and emotionally resonant piece exploring the quiet struggles that people often carry inside.
For Stephen, creativity is both a release and a form of spiritual relief. “I started creating simply because I enjoy it. It helps me release pressure. Art is my way of finding peace,” he shares. The inspiration behind Heart Knot came unexpectedly. There was no clear concept at the outset—just a feeling. But one news story stayed in his mind: reports of young people struggling under intense pressure, some tragically choosing to end their lives. As a father of two, including a 15-year-old daughter navigating exam stress, Stephen was moved to reflect. “Creating this work became a way to remind myself to communicate more with my daughter—to give her more care.”
What makes Heart Knot so compelling is its honesty. Stephen describes the creative process as almost unconscious—his thoughts and emotions poured onto the canvas before he even realized what they were. “It was like my subconscious brought everything out without me planning it. That moment of realization was surprisingly emotional for me.”
Through his work, he hopes viewers find a space to reflect on their own hidden struggles. “We all have knots in our hearts—worries, stress, things we can’t let go of. And that’s okay. We’re just human. But I want people to know it’s important to talk to someone, and to listen when others need support. Whether it's family, friends, or professionals, help is out there.”
Full Interview
1. Could you let us know a bit more about yourself and what inspired you to pursue a career in art?
Just because I like it or it is a kind of spiritual pleasure and a way to release stress!
2. What was the initial inspiration behind this project? Was there a specific idea, moment, or question that sparked its development?
I didn’t have any idea at the beginning. Maybe I saw in the news earlier that many young people committed suicide due to great pressure, so I was inspired to create! Because I have a pair of children, my eldest daughter is 15 years old, she is under pressure because of the exam, I use creation to remind myself to give my daughter more care and communication.
3. What was the most exciting or challenging part of creating the work?
Maybe this is my subconscious thoughts, unconsciously expressed when I paint freely, magically brought out the problems in my mind, which made me unexpectedly excited.
4. What kind of inner response or reflection do you hope this work evokes in viewers?
In fact, everyone has some worries or some knots in their hearts that cannot be let go. . . It doesn’t matter, because we are all ordinary people. If you have emotional problems, you should find someone to talk to; and family and friends also need to listen patiently, pay more attention and care about the people around you, or seek help from professionals, and you can always find the right way to deal with it.
5. How was your experience taking part in the Future Art & Design Award UK?
I participated in FADA UK because my wife saw this competition on Facebook and encouraged me to try to participate. Now that I can achieve good results, my family and I are overjoyed and very encouraged! Thank you very much! Finally, I hope that FADA UK can hold more competitions to give more designers or artists like me more opportunities to showcase their talents. Thank you!
