Still, settling back at home was difficult, she says.

“At college, they teach you how to use paints and about styles and different artists, but no one teaches you about how to survive as an artist.”

She continues, “I hadn’t been to art school in Hong Kong so, when I came back, I spent about a year or two attending openings and basically trying to make friends with people, because I didn’t know anyone,” she says, shaking her head at the memory.

In an ironic twist on many people wanting to live the life of an artist, Ho yearned to be an office lady, living a predictable 9-5pm existence, “with colleagues to have lunch with”, and regular holidays; and she even went on to receive an MBA, thinking this might ease her into getting a ‘sensible’ job at some stage.

But, life had other things in store.

Though known for her illustration work in the style of “urban surrealism”, Ho straddles the creative camps of both illustration and fine art. She has received a lot of commercial assignments for clients including the MTRC, property developers, jewellery shops — but would like to augment her fine art work. Her past such work includes a series of oil paintings on Hong Kong fish, purchased by the M+ Museum. “I really missed the seafood, when I was away,” she says by way of explanation.

Though she’s made friends and many connections since her return over a decade ago, and enjoys the company of both illustrators and Fine Artists, whose company, she says, “is quite different”, many of her friends have been “pushed out” of Hong Kong. According to her, the majority have made new homes for themselves in Taiwan. However, Ho is adamant about her feelings, “I want to be pulled by the good points of another place if I’m going to move, not pushed out of Hong Kong.”

For the foreseeable future, Ho is content with being “very well-travelled” (She’s just returned from the Venice biennale and has a sister living in San Francisco, meriting trips over there too), rooting herself in Hong Kong with a growing number of commissions (the iconography of Hong Kong hallmarks à la Ho, such as the taxis, pandas and Star ferries obviously having found a fanbase); and her recent marriage and pregnancy.

Being Neighbourly welcomes Vivian Ho’s participation in our inaugural art exhibition, Transitions.