Jess earned her Bachelor of Arts from UBC (University of British Columbia) in Vancouver, Canada. Her studies centered on studio art, with a focus on printmaking and photography. From 2013 to 2018, Jess was curator at The Spectacle Group, Hong Kong. 

Jess’s diverse talents extend to music. She holds a master’s degree in piano pedagogy from Hong Kong Baptist University and is a registered teacher with the Royal Conservatoire of Music. She has also been mentored by distinguished pianists Mr. Norman Lee and Mr. Stephen Wong. This unique blend of fine arts, curation, music, and meticulous craftsmanship defines Jess Mak’s signature floral philosophy, treating each creation as a harmonious composition of color, texture, form, and emotion.

Her floral installations has graced prestigious venues across California (primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area and surrounding regions), including Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga, Hakone Gardens, Saratoga, Hyatt Carmel Highlands, Nestldown, Golden Gate Club and Silver Creek Country Club.

Gathering around three distinct threads—the nostalgic mahjong flower tiles of Jess’ childhood, everyday Hong Kong objects and rituals, and the intoxicating clarity of her own personal life—the works in Still Blooms rely on flowers to carry profound emotion. Because these fragile, time-bound floral compositions must be photographed at the peak of their life before withering, the technical demands are severe, making the role of Hong Kong-based photographer Lee Yik Bong essential. With a career spanning lifestyle, food, and editorial work, Yik Bong shapes each piece as much as he captures it; his sharp instinct for set, light, and composition infuses every work with its own precise atmosphere, commanding light so masterfully that the blooms possess an almost tactile depth, quietly dissolving the boundary of the frame.