Tropicana Magazine Mar-Apr 2018 #117: Edge Of Excitement

JEFFREY YANG AND JOEY WOO
“Working with each
tree’s natural
form including its
irregularities, the
result is a piece of
furniture that is
always unique.”
Jeffrey credits 2016 as the year their business took off,
and thanks to Joey, whose focus is on marketing and business
development, Art of Tree began exporting to Singapore and Saudi
Arabia in 2017. They are predominantly residential bound, Joey
explained. In a bid to expand their reach for 2018 more emphasis
will be placed on commercial use in offices, hotels, restaurants and
bars.
WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS
Crafted from tree species such as Raintree, Acacia, Angsana,
Chengal and Mahogany, Jeffrey leads the Production &
Designing team to work with each tree’s natural form including
its irregularities. The result is a piece of furniture that is always
unique, and often oddly shaped. Even what is typically viewed as
an imperfection, like the tree’s cavities, is preserved.
The process begins with the selection of wood, often from
sawmills and through local municipalities. After being left to
dry, slabs are marked out and cut, and then the magic happens, a
process that typically takes two weeks, but special commissions can
take up to two months.
Breathing new life into what would have otherwise been
consigned to the mill for wood chips or the incinerator, the wood
is sanded, polished and its cavities filled with resin, and a final
coat of water-based polyurethane is applied to its surface once
dried. The legs of the table or chair uses powder-coated steel (which
is aesthetically appealing and practical) once it has been welded
and glasstable tops are cut to fit. It’s a time-consuming, laborious
process but the result is its own reward.
Unlike Jeffrey, Joey’s love of timber came gradually as
she immersed herself in Art of Tree’s day-to-day operations.
Possessing a business and finance background with extensive
experience in the oil and gas sector, she has been the business end
of Art of Tree. As the person who oversees the brand’s marketing
she sees perception as one of her main challenges.
“Whatever you share on social media, there will be someone
who inputs something negative about what you do,” she shared.
Her response is always non-confrontational. “The last thing that we
should be doing is fighting back; instead, we try to explain.”
FAMILY AND SHARED GOALS
Jeffrey and Joey feel even more passionately about Art of Tree and
its philosophy with children in the picture. The pair has two boys,
aged seven and four.
“Because we have kids, we are always thinking about them, the
next generation, how many trees will actually be left for them.”
Though Joey doesn’t describe herself as being an eco-warrior, being
a mother and a partner in the business has stirred a passion in her.
“I’ve started to see a lot of things differently. If there are no
customers in the showroom, I feel reluctant to switch on the airconditioning.
We bring our own containers to pack food instead of
having them pack it for us in plastic containers, we recycle plastic
bottles…” She continued with a list of little things that make a big
difference, values she and Jeffrey instills in their children.
The pair, who met in Singapore in 2008 during a mutual
friend’s wedding, complement each other perfectly. They make a
beautiful couple and their passion for their business, their family,
each other and life was apparent in our conversation. Joey and
Jeffrey recognise that their business is still in its infancy and has
room for growth but they are prepared to make certain sacrifices
to ensure their business meets its full potential.
23 MARCH/APRIL 2018 | TM